Hi VMWare experts ^^
I recently installed the Standalone Converter 5.5.3 to operate a VM migration from an ESX 5.1 to another ESX 5.1 ... they're not currently part of a vSphere architecture vCenter.
The source VM is a Windows 2008 R2 server standing on the source ESX.
The Converter is operating from a Windows 2008 R2 VM standing on the target ESX.
I select the "Powered on machine" option, set the correct IP, admin account (Domain or local makes no difference), password and OS family.
This is only working when the firewall is dropped down ... no matter what are the rules you create on your firewall. Even setting all the ports and services allowed on every profiles makes no difference (!!!)
I have read a number of technical subjects about this and still have no clue...
Recommended ports from VMWare are mainly the "File and printer sharing" windows ports (TPC/UDP 137,138,139,445,5355 etc ... + 443 ? 9089 ? 9090 ? 902 ?)
I have tried to disable SSL from the converter configuration file...
After a while ... I have tried to enable all the ports to check if I was missing an unknown port ... but no way 
Here is part of the log I get from the Converter:
[01652 error 'Ufa.HTTPService'] Failed to read request; stream <io_obj p:0x016e6484, h:-1, <pipe '\\.\pipe\vmware-converter-server-soap'>, <pipe '\\.\pipe\vmware-converter-server-soap'>>, error: class Vmacore::TimeoutException(Operation timed out)
[ADS] GetTokenInformation failed: 1312
We notice that it is using local named pipes and that seems to fail ... I've read a subject on Microsoft KB about that and suggests to allow File and Printer sharing again ... but still no way ...
This is rather frustrating ... seems to be only a question of Windows Firewall since It works when dropped down but why and what is the trick ?
Once again Microsoft inside secret ?
Any help is welcomed... and diserves the tile of Expert ^^
Regards