I have an aging Server 2003 R2 server running in a data center. The server is a live production server accessed by our customer base. I need to create a virtual copy of this server so that we can re-create our BETA server, which is no longer accessible. I don't have anybody on my staff who is a VMware guru. I know that, in theory anyway, I should be able to use VMware Workstation to clone the server using vCenter Stand Alone Converter, but no one on my staff has ever performed this procedure, much less on a remote box in a data center. I have used Workstation many times in the past, but only as a recipient of an already virtualized machine. I tried to access the machine using the standalone converter and it instantly gave me a "cannot connect" to target machine error message citing several possible causes. I tried to virtualize a local server and got the same errors. I then tried to virtualize my own PC and even it wouldn't run. So I need an expert with some experience. We cannot harm the target server. As a VMware novice, I am lost in the VMware support labyrinth of FAQs and KB articles. I just need a simple road map for how this is done. What are the variables that affect the Standalone Converter? A pro's hand in this would be greatly appreciated.
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