Detailed Procedure for Migrating VMs from VMware ESXi to Proxmox VE

Target Audience: System Administrators, Infrastructure Engineers, and Virtualization Analysts

You Should Know:

Migrating virtual machines (VMs) from VMware ESXi to Proxmox VE requires careful planning and execution. Below are the verified steps, commands, and best practices to ensure a smooth transition.

Prerequisites:

• Source: VMware ESXi host with VMs
• Destination: Proxmox VE host with sufficient storage
• Tools Required:
  – `qm` (Proxmox VE CLI tool)
  – `ovftool` (VMware OVF Tool)
  – `scp` or `rsync` for file transfers
• SSH access to both hosts

Step-by-Step Migration Process:

1. Export VM from VMware ESXi

• Convert the VM to OVF format:

  ovftool vi://<ESXi_Username>@<ESXi_IP>/<VM_Name> <Output_Directory>/<VM_Name>.ovf
  

• Alternatively, use `vSphere Client` to export as OVA.

2. Transfer OVF/OVA to Proxmox VE Host

• Use `scp` to move files:

  scp <VM_Name>.ova root@<Proxmox_IP>:/var/lib/vz/template/ova/
  

3. Import VM into Proxmox VE

• Convert OVA to Proxmox-compatible format:

  qm importovf <VMID> <VM_Name>.ova <Storage_Name> --format qcow2
  

• Example:

  qm importovf 100 myvm.ova local-lvm --format qcow2
  

4. Configure VM in Proxmox

• Adjust hardware settings:

  qm set <VMID> --memory 2048 --cores 2
  

• Start the VM:

  qm start <VMID>
  

5. Verify Migration

• Check VM status:

  qm status <VMID>
  

• Access the VM console via Proxmox GUI or SSH.

Troubleshooting Commands:

• Check Proxmox storage:

  pvesm status
  

• List all VMs:

  qm list
  

• Rescan storage:

  qm rescan
  

What Undercode Say:

Migrating from ESXi to Proxmox VE can be seamless with the right steps. Key takeaways:
– Always back up VMs before migration.
– Use `ovftool` for reliable OVF exports.
– Proxmox’s `qm` command is powerful for VM management.
– Test migrated VMs in a non-production environment first.

Additional Linux/Windows Commands for Virtualization:

• ESXi:

  vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms  List all VMs 
  esxcli storage filesystem list  Check storage 
  

• Proxmox:

  pvecm status  Check cluster status 
  lvdisplay  Verify LVM storage 
  

• Windows (PowerShell):

  Get-VM  List Hyper-V VMs 
  Export-VM -Name "VM_Name" -Path "C:\Backup"  Export VM 
  

Expected Output:

A successfully migrated VM running on Proxmox VE with verified network, storage, and performance.

( focuses on IT/cyber topic, providing actionable steps for virtualization migration.)

References:

Reported By: Fabiano Meda – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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