# Migrate physical F5 to Virtual environment-BIG-IP 16.1.2.1

**URL:** <https://community.f5.com/t/migrate-physical-f5-to-virtual-environment-big-ip-16-1-2-1/75712>\
**Category:** Technical Forums\
**Tags:** security\
**Created:** [February 3, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.f5.com/t/migrate-physical-f5-to-virtual-environment-big-ip-16-1-2-1/75712 "2025-02-03T21:44:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Sona](https://community.f5.com/u/Sona)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.f5.com/t/migrate-physical-f5-to-virtual-environment-big-ip-16-1-2-1/75712/1 "2025-02-03T21:44:14Z")

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Hi All,

we are using 16.2.1 IOS on Physical F5 LTM and we need to migrate physical F5 to VE and we are using different IP Schema for HA Subnet. HA Subnet is non-routable so we are unable to add F5 VE in existing physical device as a 3rd member.

we want to copy all configuration like Virtual servers, pool members, nodes, irules from physical F5 to F5 VE.

In physical F5 STP is running so we couldn’t load the configuration to the new F5 VE and getting below error message

**01070686:3: Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is not supported on this platform. Unexpected Error: Loading configuration process failed.**

[K61172462: Disabling or enabling the Spanning Tree Protocol for a trunk (11.x - 16.x)](https://urldefense.com/v3/ __https:/my.f5.com/manage/s/article/K61172462__ ;!!ETL5SZvLnA!79I-Pkm-HuKNEj0t98QzET4QqGfrLNTXwx5FTjwcFI1-6Hszrf7PFbIBohoCWOjuIRWGIHhjoAr4t9abIccHBOPLqXjV$)

we couldn’t modify Source config file on (Physical F5). Physical F5 is running in the production environment so couldn’t break HA also.

Do you have any easiest way from copying Virtual Servers, pool members and iRule from an existing physical F5 to new F5 VE without any downtime.

Thanks,

Sona.

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**Author:** ![F5\_Design\_Engineer](https://d1p9zq3aats0t8.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.f5.com/f5_design_engineer/32/2479_2.png) [@F5\_Design\_Engineer](https://community.f5.com/u/F5_Design_Engineer)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.f5.com/t/migrate-physical-f5-to-virtual-environment-big-ip-16-1-2-1/75712/2 "2025-02-04T13:53:01Z")

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Hi Sona,

For customize config and pick and choose the config you want to copy from one box to another F5 VE&nbsp; there is a very useful indeed i call it a magical command.

Please check this command for

tmsh  
**load sys config merge from-terminal**

You can read my blog with detail explanation on dealing with this type of scenario.

[Migrating older F5 BIG-IP has 3 partitions & Route Domains (RD) to new F5 BIG-IP with 2 partion & RD | DevCentral](https://community.f5.com/post/306903)

Let me know for any further help.

HTH

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**Author:** ![Sona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Sona](https://community.f5.com/u/Sona)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2025, 5:58am UTC](https://community.f5.com/t/migrate-physical-f5-to-virtual-environment-big-ip-16-1-2-1/75712/3 "2025-02-06T05:58:31Z")

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I unable to reply you.