How to Migrate VMware to Hyper-V (9a): Integrate vCenter

In this part of the guide, you’ll integrate your vCenter Server and ESXi hosts to VMM. This allows you to migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V with VMM’s V2V converter.

Part 9a, 9b, 10a, and 10b Overview

This series has two methods to migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V. Parts 9a and 9b explain how to complete this task with VMM’s V2V converter. Meanwhile, in parts 10a and 10b, I explain how to convert VMware VMs to Hyper-V with Veeam’s Instant Recovery.

In my experience, converting with Veeam is better for two reasons. First, it is faster than using the VMM’s V2V.

Secondly, using Veeam’s Instant Recovery works for both Windows and Linux VMs. From my experience when you convert some Linux VMs from VMware to Hyper-V, they fail to boot.

If you want to use VMM’s V2V, proceed with the steps in this section. However, to use Veeam’s Instant Recovery, jump to part 10a.

Task 1: Add vCenter Server to VMM

Before adding ESXi hosts or clusters to VMM, you must integrate the vCenter into VMM. Follow these steps to complete this task.

The steps below assume that you completed the tasks in part 5, “Task 3: Create SCVMM “Run As” Accounts.”

1. From the Fabric node, expand Infrastructure, right-click vCenter Servers, then, click Add VMware vCenter Server.

2. Enter the FQDN of the vCenter Server. Then, use the Browse button to select the vCenter “Run as” account and click Finish. SCVMM will prompt you to import the vCenter Server’s certificate – click Import.

The job opens – wait for it to complete.

If you followed this guide from the beginning, the vCenter “Run as” account is the AD account, scvmm-ra and this account would have been added to the administrator group in your vCenter server.

After adding the vCenter server, it will display on the vCenter Servers node.

Task 2: Add ESXi Hosts or Clusters to VMM

Once you have added the vCenter Server to VMM, follow these steps to add the ESXi hosts or clusters managed by the vCenter server.

1. Expand Servers > All Host Groups from the Fabric node, right-click the VMware host group and select Add Add ESX Hosts and Clusters.

2. On the wizard’s first page, use the Browse button to choose the ESXi host root “Run as” account.

If you use any account other than the root credentials for the ESXi hosts, the SCVMM V2V converter fails to convert VMware VMs to Hyper-V.

2. Then, on the wizard’s Target Resources page, select the vCenter server from the VMware vCenter Server drop-down. After that, check the checkbox next to the cluster and click Next.

3. On the next page, confirm that the VMware host group is selected, then click Finish to add the vCenter cluster and all ESXi hosts it manages.

Task 3: Import ESXi Hosts Certificate to VMM

VMM requires an ESXi certificate to authenticate with each host. Follow the steps below to import the certificate for each host.

1. Double-click the ESXi host to open its properties.
2. After that, click the Management tab, then the Import button.

3. On the Import Certificate pop-up window, click Import.

4. Finally, click OK to complete the process.

After importing an ESXi host’s certificate to VMM, its status will change from “OK (Limited)” to “OK”.

Repeat steps 1-4 above on all ESXi hosts.

This is the end of part 9a of the series.

If you completed the tasks in this part, I assume you want to migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V using VMM’s V2V converter. If that is the case, proceed to part 9b.

However, to convert VMware VMs with Veeam’s Instant Recovery, proceed to part 10a.