Changing the IP address of a vCenter Converter server

Products

• VMware

Issue/Introduction

You might need to change the IP address of the machine where vCenter Converter server runs. If you do, the connection between the vCenter Converter server and the vCenter Server is lost. The vCenter Converter client is unable to connect to the vCenter Converter server, and you cannot open the vCenter Converter wizards to create conversion tasks. Scheduled conversion tasks fail as well.

Because the vCenter Converter Installer does not provide options to repair the vCenter Converter installation, you must use the Windows command-line utility to register the new IP address of the vCenter Converter server with the vCenter Server.

Environment

VMware vCenter Converter 4.2.x

Resolution

To change the vCenter Converter server IP address by using a command-line utility:

1. Log in to the machine on which vCenter Converter Server is installed.
2. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the vCenter Converter Server program data folder.
3. • The default path for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter
   • The default path for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows 7 is C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter

4. Edit the extension.xml file in any text editor to find and replace all instances of the old vCenter Converter server IP address with the new IP address.
5. Save and close the file.
6. Open a command prompt window.
7. Navigate to the vCenter Converter Server installation folder.
8. • The default path in 32bit Windows is C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter
   • The default path in 64bit Windows is C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vCenter Converter

9. Run the following command for the changes to take effect:
   
   vmware-converter.exe -ext "<converter_server_program_data_folder>\extension.xml" -extUpdate -vc <vc_ip> -user <user_name> -password <password> "<converter_server_program_data_folder>\converter-server.xml"

Here:
10. • <converter_server_program_data_folder> is the folder that contains the extension.xml file
    • <vc_ip> is the IP address or host name of the vCenter Server system with which you want to register the vCenter Converter Server
    • <user_name> and <password> are the user name and password for this vCenter Server system

Note: If a vSphere Client with vCenter Converter plug-in is open and connected to the vCenter Server that uses the vCenter Converter Server with the changed IP address, you must restart this vSphere Client and the vCenter Converter services on the vCenter Server so the vCenter Converter plug-in can detect and apply the changes.