virt-v2v is the utility that allows converting virtual machines so the KVM hypervisor can start them. You can use it to convert the virtual machines created in VMware, Xen, Hyper-V, and other hypervisors. 

Execute the command to install virt-v2v on CentOS 7:

yum install virt-v2v
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To view the full documentation on virt-v2v:

man virt-v2v
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Operation mode

The virt-v2v operation mode is defined by the following parameters:

  • -i — input data type;
  • -o — output data type.

Input data type:

  • -i disk <virtual disk name> — the virtual disk from the local storage;  
  • -i libvirt <virtual machine name or id> — the VM disk is exported from libvirt. In libvirt, the virtual machine is defined by the specified name or id. It is used by default. The parameter -ic allows to select a hypervisor that libvirt uses;
  • -i libvirtxml <VM XML-description> — the virtual disk of the virtual machine with the libvirt XML-description;
  • -i ova — the virtual disk of the VMware virtual machine in the ova format;
  • -i vmx — the virtual disk of the VMware virtual machine in the wmx format.

Output data type:

  • -o glance — the virtual disk is specified for OpenStack Glance;
  • -o libvirt — the virtual disk is specified for libvirt. Libvirt connects a disk to the local or remote KVM hypervisor. The parameter -oc allows to select an exporting hypervisor;
  • -o local -os /dir — the virtual disk with the libvirt configuration file are added into the /dir directory specified by the -os parameter;
  • -o qemu — the virtual disk is added locally, and the script for VM upload is added directly to QEMU;
  • -o rhv — the virtual disk is added to RHV / oVirt.

Converting virtual machines for import into VMmanager

You can use the virt-v2v utility when importing a virtual machine into  VMmanager. Learn more in Import of virtual machines.

To import the VM disk in VMmanager you need to specify the output data type -o local -os /dir, where /dir — the directory to add the converted virtual machine.