Converting SBS 2011 installation from physical to virtual?

[TwiceSliced]

We recently migrated from SBS Premium 2003 to SBS 2011 Premium Add-On.

When planning the migration, my manager wanted to opt for a single physical machine that would run SQL Server 2008 R2 on the same box as the domain controller; not recommended, I know, but supposedly possible.

Now I'm reading that such a set-up is only possible if Server 2008 R2 is installed first and SBS 2011 and the Premium Add-On are then installed as two separate virtual machines. The problem is that SBS 2011 has already been installed and the migration has been completed.

Is it possible to convert the existing physical SBS 2011 installation to a virtual machine, or to get SQL Server 2008 R2 installed directly onto the physical SBS 2011 installation?

I'm researching our options, but I would appreciate any guidance.

Thanks.

 

[bigdogchris]

You want to look into a process called P2V (Physical to Virtual). Here is a tool that may get you started if you want to move to Hyper-V (VHD). http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415

 

[TwiceSliced]

Just a heads-up, Sysinternals'/Microsoft's free Disk2VHD utility has some pretty gaping holes in its functionality, and you have to pay for a software bundle just to get their SCVMM if you want to fill those holes; seems to be an issue with disk controller drivers... Luckily, Citrix's free XenConvert ultility does the trick

 

[vso1]

you can do it, and P2V is a good search item ..

but get a copy of the hardware .. so buy 2 baremetal servers, pref 2x NAS
(3k +) and go hyper-v / or esx free

why the hardware redudancy ? put the 2 machines each with 1 host if 1 fails .. (and you made backups frequently you can resume working on 1 machine ..
(less capicity but working instead of not)

2x nas with a sync (use www.smallnetbuilder.com nas chart) to select 1 with enough network throughput .. can be 2 disk units in duplicate .. but at least you have some redundancy and room to grow ..

SQL and SBS use prob a bit of mem so 8 gb ram or better MORE ! ..
virtualization and/or NAS will not remove the need of backup although the urgenty and keeping the business runing will be much more garuanteed.