Export VM from Nutanix AHV

I have seen some asks around virtual machine export from Nutanix Acropolis Hypervisor (AHV). To export VM form Nutanix AHV we will use qemu-img Linux tool and export VM into qcow2 format.

Below quick guide on how to export VM from Nutanix AHV.

Requirements:

• Acropolis Base Software 4.6.X or newer
• AHV 20160217 or newer

Step #1 – identify VM disk UUID

Log in to CVM via ssh and get into Acropolis command line – type acli. First, list VM <vm.list>.  Seconds, check virtual machine disk UUID <vm.get VirtualMachineName> . Search for line named vmdisk_uuid and note it down

<acropolis> vm.list
VM name         VM UUID
ArturTest01     b8aa233a-c558-4aed-9dd5-b4795907c2da
<acropolis> vm.get ArturTest01
ArturTest01 {
  config {
    disk_list {
      addr {
        bus: "ide"
        index: 0
      }
      cdrom: True
      empty: True
    }
    disk_list {
      addr {
        bus: "scsi"
        index: 0
      }
      container_id: 8
      source_vmdisk_uuid: "3f294837-36dd-4d0d-a766-71113c68e5fd"
      vmdisk_size: 64425558016
      vmdisk_uuid: "7e80401c-003a-4a43-add8-645af5d7db58"
    }
    memory_mb: 6144
    name: "ArturTest01"
    nic_list {
      mac_addr: "52:54:00:6a:c7:61"
      network_name: "VLAN92"
      network_uuid: "8e06c992-7543-48f7-9380-51493b09317b"
    }
    num_cores_per_vcpu: 1
    num_vcpus: 2
  }
  host_name: "c04nodea.gso.lab"
  host_uuid: "3e15fc7d-8427-4572-9636-2237d828d28c"
  logical_timestamp: 2
  state: "kOn"
  uuid: "b8aa233a-c558-4aed-9dd5-b4795907c2da"
}

Step #2 – run qemu-img and export disk to qcow2 file format.
Run qemu-img from CVM

nutanix@NTNX:~$ qemu-img convert -f raw -O qcow2 -c nfs://<cvm_ip>/<container>/.acropolis/vmdisk/<vmdisk_uuid> nfs://<cvm_ip>/<container>/<vmdisk_name>.qcow2

NOTE #1: make sure VM is powered off before you export it.

NOTE #2: if you put only qcow2 filename at the end of the command, qcow2 file will be created iin the path you run command from.

NOTE #3: make sure to use output path for file with enough free space

nutanix@NTNX-15SM65300246-A-CVM::~$  qemu-img convert -f -c raw nfs://127.0.0.1/default-container-32395/.acropolis/vmdisk/7e80401c-003a-4a43-add8-645af5d7db58 -O qcow2 nfs://127.0.0.1/<container>/ArturTest01.qcow2

After several minutes ( waiting time greatly depends on vm disk size, hardware platform, CVM resources utilization) you should have file ready for download from Nutanix Container. Add your workstation\server IP (if windows it has to be Windows 2012R2 or Windows 8.1 or newer) to container whitelist and you can browse is image file.