If your organization is running legacy servers--or even new, but underutilized Windows Server 2003 systems--you should consider using Microsoft's Virtual Server 2005 in conjunction with the Virtual Server 2005 Migration Tool (VSMT) to more easily migrate these servers to their virtual counterparts.

VSMT has a number of requirements. Here's a partial list:

  • An Automated Deployment Services server running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (not the 64-bit version)
  • VSMT installed on a separate server or the same server
  • Virtual Server 2005 installed on a separate server or the same server

In addition, the server you wish to migrate must have PXE boot capabilities achieved either via PXE features installed on the physical network adapter or via the creation of a PXE boot disk. During the PXE boot process, the system migrates the contents of the target server into virtual hard drive files, which Virtual Server 2005 then uses.

You can download VSMT from Microsoft's Web site. It includes three files:

  • VSMT_Setup.msi--the setup program
  • Relnotes.htm--the release notes
  • Installation.htm--installation instructions

Keep in mind that the initial installation can be difficult. However, if you're migrating a lot of physical servers to virtual machines, VSMT can be an ideal tool.

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