VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 9.0 — What’s New, Why It Matters, and How to Use It

TL;DR: VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 9.0 is now GA with support for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, virtual hardware version 22, full SSL certificates, and—big win for Linux admins—post-clone synchronization for Linux machines with proper XFS CRC & ftype preservation. There’s also Python support in the Converter SDK, refreshed UI icons, and general security hardening.

What Is vCenter Converter Standalone?

vCenter Converter Standalone automates creating VMware virtual machines from:

Physical machines (Windows and Linux) → P2V
Other virtual formats (including Hyper-V) → V2V

It’s the workhorse for moving workloads into (and around) VMware environments—Workstation, Fusion Pro, standalone ESXi, and ESXi/vCenter estates.

What’s New in 9.0

VCF 9.0 support – Clean integration with the latest VMware Cloud Foundation release.
Virtual Hardware (vHW) 22 – Ensures converted VMs can leverage current vSphere platform capabilities (e.g., higher resource ceilings, vTPM support, modern I/O paths).
Full SSL certificate support – Better security for connections and task orchestration.
Linux sync after initial clone – Perform an initial cold or hot clone and keep the target VM in step while you plan the cutover.
Python in the Converter SDK – Script and automate conversion workflows using Python (in addition to existing options).
XFS integrity preserved – Converter now preserves CRC and ftype flags on XFS to maintain metadata and data integrity.
UI icon refresh – Minor but welcome polish.
Overall security improvements – Hardening across services and transport.

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Why You Should Upgrade

Future-proof conversions – vHW 22 means new VMs aren’t stuck on older virtual hardware, so they can fully exploit platform features now and later.
Safer, cleaner pipelines – Full SSL certificates and security hardening reduce friction with enterprise security controls.
Linux done right – Post-clone sync plus correct XFS handling = confidence for production Linux migrations.
Better automation – Python SDK support opens the door for robust, idempotent conversion pipelines (CI/CD for images, repeatable P2V/V2V runs, pre/post hooks).

Supported Sources & Destinations (Quick View)

Sources:
- Physical Windows and Linux (live import with agent on Windows)
- Hyper-V VMs
- VMware VMs (managed by vCenter or on unmanaged ESXi)
Destinations:
- vCenter-managed ESXi
- Standalone ESXi
- VMware Workstation / Fusion formats

Typical Use Cases

Migrate legacy servers to new VMware platforms without re-installing OS/apps
Consolidate labs and branch servers into vCenter/VCF
Refactor storage layout (resize/split volumes) during conversion
Cross-hypervisor moves (Hyper-V → ESXi)
Build standardised golden images for Workstation/Fusion or test rigs

How Converter 9.0 Works (High Level)

Cloning – Copies disks/volumes from the source to destination VMDKs.
System Reconfiguration – Adjusts the guest OS to boot on virtual hardware (drivers, services, bootloader tweaks, etc.).

Non-destructive: The source machine isn’t modified. You can continue using it until cutover.

Network note: If the new VM will be powered on on the same network as the source, change hostname and IP to avoid conflicts.
Licensing note (Windows): Ensure you hold the correct Windows licence for the virtualised instance.

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Cloning Modes Explained

Volume-based cloning (file-level / volume-level)
- Pros: Granular; converts Windows dynamic disks to basic volumes on target.
- Cons: Slower than block-level.
Disk-based cloning (block-level)
- Pros: Generally faster; ideal for powered-off sources.
- Cons: All-or-nothing per disk—less granular control.
Linked clone
- Pros: Fastest; great for compatibility checks or dev/test.
- Cons: Not a full independent copy; not recommended for production migrations.

Linux Enhancements You’ll Care About

Post-clone synchronization lets you:
- Do an initial clone during hours
- Re-sync deltas near your cutover window
- Minimise downtime when you switch over
XFS CRC & ftype preserved
- Keeps XFS metadata semantics intact
- Helps maintain data integrity and avoid tooling surprises post-migration

Architecture & Components

Converter Standalone Server
- The “engine.” Includes the Worker service that executes tasks.
Converter Standalone Agent (Windows sources)
- Temporarily installed to coordinate live P2V; can auto-uninstall on completion.
Converter Standalone Client (GUI)
- Launch conversions, run configuration wizards, monitor progress.

Quick Start (Field-Tested Flow)

Prep
- Verify network connectivity, DNS resolution, ports, and credentials (source & destination).
- Snapshot/backup the source (or at least app/data) for safety.
- For Windows sources, confirm licensing for the virtualised instance.
Choose your mode
- Speed? Use disk-based.
- Need granularity / dynamic-to-basic conversion? Use volume-based.
- Lab check only? Linked clone.
Run initial clone
- Land the VM on compatible datastore and vHW 22.
- Tweak storage layout (resize volumes; split OS/data to separate VMDKs).
System reconfig & post-steps
- Confirm boot order and VMware Tools/open-vm-tools.
- Set hostname, IP, DNS, domain join (if needed).
- Validate services, application start-up, and logs.
Linux re-sync (if applicable)
- Schedule the delta sync close to cutover to reduce downtime.
Cutover
- Quiesce app on source, do a final Linux sync (if used).
- Power on the VM at destination, validate, then decommission source.

Best Practices & Gotchas

Plan for identity changes (hostname/IP) before first boot on prod networks.
Time & NTP – Clock drift can break auth and certificates.
Drivers & services – After conversion, confirm storage/network drivers and deselect any hardware-specific services that don’t make sense in a VM.
Security – Use full SSL certs end-to-end; verify ciphers and TLS versions meet your org’s policy.
Storage layout – Take advantage of conversion time to place OS and data on separate VMDKs and right-size volumes.
Automation – With the Python SDK, script: pre-checks, job creation, tagging, and post-validation.
Licensing – Don’t skip Windows licensing re-validation after P2V.
Rollback – Keep a brief rollback window where the source is left untouched until the VM is signed off.

Who Is It For?

Systems engineers / admins overseeing migrations and consolidation
Developers / QA cloning physical test rigs into portable VMs
Trainers / educators packaging complex setups into reproducible images
Anyone adopting or standardising on VMware who needs reliable P2V/V2V

Where to Download

You’ll need to log in to the Broadcom Support Portal to download vCenter Converter Standalone 9.0 (it’s no longer on the public download page).

Product docs:
- Using VMware vCenter Converter Standalone (9.0)
- Introduction / System Requirements / Limitations
- Release Notes

(Link these in your blog UI to your preferred docs locations.)

Final Thoughts

Converter Standalone 9.0 is a meaningful quality-of-life and compatibility release. If you’re on modern vSphere/VCF, want cleaner Linux migrations (with proper XFS handling), or need to automate at scale via Python, upgrading is an easy decision. For mixed estates and ongoing consolidation, this should be in your standard toolkit.

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