I want to migrate aws instance to vmware. How can I export aws instance into .VMDK file so that I can import it in VMware.
I never did it but did you try the solution from AWS documentation
I have successfully used this tool:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/info?slug=infrastructure_operations_management/vmware_vcenter_converter_standalone/6_2_0
to convert a running ec2 instance into a format that I could download and run locally in my vmware environment.
In my case it was a windows based ec2 instance with a single 'disk'. I added a second volume/disk to the machine that was big enough to hold the primary volume, and used the tool to make the image on that new disk.
I was then able to download it start it up locally.
Related
I have just started learning about AWS. I am following along a tutorial and I have created a hello.txt file in EC2 using PuTTY on Windows. I wanted to know where I can see all the files listed in the EC2 instance on a GUI. I believe they are not stored locally on my computer; but I cannot find them on the AWS console either? Thank you.
PuTTY console screenshot
After some more AWS training, I found out that I can also see the files and folders in my EC2 instance in a "GUI" format using the Fleet Manager in AWS Systems Manager. The Systems Manager Agent must be installed in the EC2 instance and the instance must be given the appropriate permissions using IAM.
I wanted to know where I can see all the files listed in the EC2 instance on a GUI
Short answer:
Using a Windows PC to access an AWS EC2 you use PuTTY to navigate the file system. The hello.txt file you created is listed.
To open it you can do a cat hello.txt.
Official Answer:
https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/ec2-linux-2-install-gui/
The instructions get you to install the MATE desktop environment, a lightweight GUI based on GNOME 2 available as an extra for Amazon Linux 2.
Is it possible to backup EC2 instance locally? (Not just the data , but the installations on Linux in EC2 as well)
I found number of options that would take data backup, but is there a way where we could backup fully functional Ec2 as is to local system? If not, can we download the image may be of EC2 locally which can be restored to same/another AWS environment when needed?
can we download the image may be of EC2 locally which can be restored to same/another AWS environment when needed?
for this the easiest solution would be this
got to instances under ec2 service in your account management console.
select the instance you wish to backup/copy.
select create image.
once image is created you can view it under ec2 navigation pane -> images-> ami.
to launch instance from the image, select and launch it.
could backup fully functional Ec2 as is to local system
the possible solution what i know and have tried to use export.Exporting as a VM is useful when you want to deploy a copy of an Amazon EC2 instance in your on-site virtualization environment. You can export most EC2 instances to Citrix Xen, Microsoft Hyper-V, or VMware vSphere.
your VM which is to be exported is stored in s3 so you will be charged according to s3 rates+ EBS snapshot charge
I have to backup a windows server 2008 32bit I have on aws ec2, to my on premise vmware infrastructure.
My objectif is to keep the .vmdk files aws provided me ( 2 disks ) and being able to restore the instance in my own infrastructure if needed.
I cannot use the aws ec2 create-instance-export-task because I have more than 1 disk, and do not match command requirements.
I have converted my ec2 to an AMI to use this command :
aws ec2 export-image --image-id ami-id --disk-image-format VMDK
I had to follow this process to restore the .vmdk from the -flat.vmdk aws provided.
https://www.settlersoman.com/how-to-recover-missing-vmx-and-vmdk-descriptor-file/
If I create a new VM with same CPU/Memory as my instance on AWS (t2.small), and then attach the .VMDK, i'm not able to make it boot. I tried with differents settings in vmware but nothing works.
I tried on VMWARE ESXI 6.0, VirtualBOx and vmware workstation.
Does anyone have a procedure to export a windows ec2 to an on premise hypervisor ( not using create-instance-export-task ) ?
It's been a few years since I have done this, it is possible. I used this software: https://www.vmware.com/products/converter.html
If I remember correctly I created an extra hard disk/volume, attached it to the ec2 instance and used that as the target to hold the VM the converter creates - then I uploaded the VM to S3 and pulled it down locally (and then got rid of that temporary volume). Worked like a charm.
BTW: The convertor software is free
In AWS cloud formation, i use the cloud former tool. I can use that tool to create a cloud formation template from existing resources. And then use the template to create a stack. I tested with that tool. It can work, (as in it can create instances with same memory size, with same volume size, same VPC settings, and auto start the instances). But there is no files in the volume.
Do i have to create a snapshot of the existing volume, create a new volume from the snapshot, attach it to the newly created instance, and copy the files manually ?
Or is there any better way ?
Do i have to create a snapshot of the existing volume, create a new volume from the snapshot, attach it to the newly created instance, and copy the files manually ?
Cloudformation is provisioning resources, but is not responsible for provisioning the contents of those resources - that you have to do yourself.
You can leverage the EC2 Userdata to manually pull files from S3 or other repos as the instance boots.
Or is there any better way ?
If you want to share data between applications, EFS is always an option. In your case, though, using Userdata might be effective.
If you wish to launch new EC2 instances with software automatically loaded, there are basically two choices:
Use a pre-configured AMI, or
Use a startup script to load the software
Pre-configured AMI
An Amazon Machine Image (AMI) is a copy of a disk. When a new EC2 instance is launched, an AMI is selected and the boot disk (and optionally other disks) are automatically pre-loaded with the contents of the AMI.
A common practice is to boot an EC2 instance and configure it as desired. Then, create an AMI. Thereafter, when a new EC2 instance is required for the application, launch it using the pre-built AMI.
There are also tools available to automate the building of an AMI, such as Netflix Aminator and Packer.
Benefits: New machine boots quickly, fully-configured.
Issues: Need to create a new AMI whenever you update your software.
Use a startup script to load the software
When an Amazon EC2 instance is launched from a standard Amazon-provided AMI (eg Amazon Linux, Microsoft Windows), software on the AMI automatically looks at the User Data passed to an EC2 instance. If the User Data contains a startup script, the script will be executed -- but only the first time that an instance is launched. This is an excellent way to install software on the instance.
You are responsible for writing the script. The script should install whatever tools, software and data you want on the instance.
Benefits: Updating your software? Just launch a new instance and the script will install the latest version of your software (assuming you have written the script to always point to the latest version).
Issues: It takes longer to launch the new instance, since the software is being installed.
I have an amazon ec2 instance with RHEL 7.3 on it. I would like to convert this into an iso so that I can migrate it wherever I want. What are the best tools to create an iso of a virtual machine. Or how do I clone/backup this VM so that I can restore it anywhere I want?
You can work with VM and AWS programatically via AWS CLI commands.
You want to get familiar with import-task and export-task commands.
The best place to start is by reading an official AWS guides for:
Exporting an Instance as a VM Using VM Import/Export
Importing a VM as an Image Using VM Import/Export
The key information you need to pick up from the guide is this quote:
"You can't export an instance from Amazon EC2 unless you previously
imported it into Amazon EC2 from another virtualization environment."
Yes, there are solutions, one of them linked by #Nicholas Smith. That being said, if you go the unofficial route you might end up in a dark alley where help might not be available. I highly recommend and warn here to not proceed with trying to clone EC2 into VM at this point. You will spend a lot of time with a huge risk factor for future.
For you to be able to achieve what you want, you need to create a RHEL VM using any VM software, you need to load this VM into AWS and then you will be able to work with VM in AWS making any necessary changes and export again for local or transportation needs.
As you are running a widely-used Linux distribution - RHEL, you can attempt to recreate your EC2 environment manually by launching a VM that runs the same kernel version along with the same package versions. From there, you can tarball what files you need from your production instance and copy them over to your on-premise site by using SCP/SFTP.
Just get your RHEL environment into VM locally and import to AWS and you set.
Clonezilla provides functionality to create images. Generated images can be converted to ISO files.
It doesn't seem to be something that Amazon promote as a service however the aws cli tools have an ec2-unbundle command for extracting from an AMI. There's a guide here on how to download and run an EC2 AMI locally by using it.
Caveat is it appears the ec2-unbundle command currently only works on Linux and not OS X or Windows.