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Cutting over full server to ESX migration jobs

When the migration mirror has completed, the target may or may not reboot automatically depending on your selection for Wait for user intervention before cutover. If you disabled user intervention, the target will reboot automatically to complete the migration process. If you enabled user intervention, when the migration mirror is complete, the status will change to Protecting. Use this time to complete any necessary tasks. When you are ready to complete the migration, use the following instructions to cutover.

1. On the Manage Jobs page, highlight the job that you want to cutover and click Failover or Cutover in the toolbar.
2. Select the type of cutover to perform.
• Cutover to live data—Select this option to initiate a full, live cutover using the current data on the target. The source is automatically shut down if it is still running. Then the target will stand in for the source by rebooting and applying the source identity, including its system state, on the target. After the reboot, the target becomes the source, and the target no longer exists.
• Perform test cutover—Select this option to perform a test cutover using the current date on the target. This option will leave the source machine online, stop the migration job, and start the replica virtual machine on the target without network connectivity.
• Cutover to a snapshot—This option is not available for migration jobs.
3. Select how you want to handle the data in the target queue. You may want to check the amount of data in queue on the target by reviewing the Statistics or Performance Monitor.
• Apply data in target queues before failover or cutover—All of the data in the target queue will be applied before cutover begins. The advantage to this option is that all of the data that the target has received will be applied before cutover begins. The disadvantage to this option is depending on the amount of data in queue, the amount of time to apply all of the data could be lengthy.
• Discard data in the target queues and failover or cutover immediately—All of the data in the target queue will be discarded and cutover will begin immediately. The advantage to this option is that cutover will occur immediately. The disadvantage is that any data in the target queue will be lost.

4. When you are ready to begin cutover, click Cutover.

   If your source was disconnected from the network during the cutover process, the original job that was mirroring the data will still be active on that machine. Do not bring that machine back on the network. If you do, the original job will attempt to begin mirroring data again which could result in data loss. While the machine is still disconnected from the network, stop the Double-Take service, delete the file connect.sts located in the Double-Take installation directory, and then restart the Double-Take service. This will delete the original job. After the original job is deleted, you can bring the machine on the network if desired.

   Because the Windows product activation is dependent on hardware, you may need to reactivate your Windows registration after cutover. In most cases when you are using Windows 2003, you can follow the on-screen prompts to complete the reactivation. However, when you are using Windows 2008, the reactivation depends on several factors including service pack level, Windows edition, and your licensing type. If a Windows 2008 target comes online after cutover with an activation failure, use the steps below appropriate for your license type. Additionally, if you are using Windows 2012, you may only have 60 minutes to complete the reactivation process until Windows activation tampering automatically shuts down your server.

   • Retail licensing—Retail licensing allows the activation of a single operating system installation.
   1. Open the System applet in Windows Control Panel.
   2. Under Windows activation at the bottom of the page, click Change product key.
   3. Enter your retail license key. You may need access to the Internet or to call Microsoft to complete the activation.
   • MAK volume licensing—Multiple Activation Key (MAK) licensing allows the activation of multiple operating system installations using the same activation key.
   1. View or download the Microsoft Volume Activation Deployment Guide from the Microsoft web site.
   2. Using an administrative user account, open a command prompt and follow the instructions from the deployment guide to activate MAK clients. Multiple reboots may be necessary before you can access a command prompt. You may need access to the Internet or to call Microsoft to complete the activation.
   • KMS volume licensing—Key Management Service (KMS) licensing allows IT professionals to complete activations on their local network without contacting Microsoft.
   1. View or download the Microsoft Volume Activation Deployment Guide from the Microsoft web site.
   2. Using an administrative user account, open a command prompt and follow the instructions from the deployment guide to convert a MAK activation client to a KMS client. Multiple reboots may be necessary before you can access a command prompt.

   If your source was using vCenter, you may have problems with cutover if vCenter is down or if it is unreachable. See the technical support article 34768 for details on how to complete cutover in this situation.

    

5. If you performed a test cutover, you can undo it by selecting Undo Failover or Cutover in the toolbar. The replica virtual machine on the target will be shut down and the migration job will be restarted performing a file differences mirror.

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