Replicating OS Partition Only

[Rhiannon]

Need to replicate SQL Servers used by Sharepoint, however; we do not want to replicate the entire VM (ESX 5.1 host, WinServer08 VM). Is there a way to replicate the OS Partition only? Windows is partitioned as such - OS partition 100GB, 100GB Unallocated, 400GB Free space.

We'd like to replicate the OS, re-partition the disk and gain the 500GB that is not being used. Please help!

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, just use disk exclusion functionality in the replication job settings to replicate only system virtual disk. Thanks!

[Rhiannon]

Thanks Vitaliy!

[tsightler]

That allows you to exclude a virtual disk, but not replicate only a partition from a disk. It sounds like this OP was asking about a method to replicate only a single partition from a single large virtual disk. Unfortunately this isn't possible, although if the space is simply free, you can zero it out and then perhaps replicate it to a thin provisioned virtual disk to get the free space back.

[Gostev]

Tom is right. On the other hand, why not have a separate virtual disk for each partition? This is way more common with virtualization, as this gives you much more flexibility.

[tsightler]

Based on his post, I think he's just trying to get rid of the extra wasted space and leave with only a 100GB disk, as right now that extra space is completely unused.