[OPEN-ILS-DEV] VMWare image on MS Virtual Server?

[Dan Scott]

On 24/05/07, Sperr, Edwin <sperr at nelinet.net> wrote:
> We're looking at setting up a small testing/sandbox install, and I've
> gotten just far enough with the process of preparing RHEL4 to despair of
> the whole notion of software dependencies.
>
> The VMWare images look like a nice alternative, but this implementation
> environment would be on Microsoft Virtual Server. I took the natural
> step of installing VMWare Player on the Virtual Server, thereby
> attempting to run a virtual machine inside another virtual machine.  I
> was hoping I'd at least get some kind of rip in the space-time
> continuum, but instead it just resulted in a virtual kernel panic.
>
> Has anyone either: 1) Coaxed VMWare player into running the Evergreen
> image inside a Virtual Server VM? or 2) Successfully ported the
> Evergreen image to a format where it would run natively as a Virtual
> Server itself?  As for option two, I've seen some virtual disk
> conversion utilities, but am fuzzy on what the actual implementation
> details would be.
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ed Sperr
> Digital Services Consultant
> NELINET, Inc.
> 153 Cordaville Rd. Suite 200  Southborough, MA
> (508) 597-1931  |  (800) 635-4638 x1931
>

Hi Ed:

Just so there's some reply to your request, and so that it doesn't get
lost on the list - for my part, I unfortunately don't have easy access
to a Windows box for setting up MS Virtual Server or, to be honest,
the time to keep a second EG virtual image update. This would be
another good volunteer opportunity for someone with the infrastructure
and time required.

You're right, it looks like there are some tools to convert from
VMWare images to MS Virtual Server images, but I have never tried
them. From some of the comments attached to at least one of the tools
I looked at briefly, if you run into any trouble from the outset you
might be better off investing your research time in the technical
skills for getting EG's software dependencies ironed out rather than
figuring out how to get the conversion tool to work.

-- 
Dan Scott
Laurentian University