How did we find them:
Server audit reports. Several different network scanners and monitoring tools found the servers. Seems one-off VM Hosts, and VMware Workstation & Server on Desktop are an issue at my client's locations. I dont have control nor view into those hosts. So we can find the VMs and by IP Address narrow down the building. After that it becomes difficult to locate. Network team is currently working on tracking the network data of the servers, see what ports they are hitting on different switches. I know through third party software like Microsoft SCCM and Solar Winds Orion you can audit the software installed on the Windows Desktops.. if you pay for the license.. which my client is not currently in a position to do this year.
V2V is a good idea, then turn off the original. The Business Owner in the company needs to sign off on that. Plus many of the developers that built these one off systems dont want to come forward. Fun with Politics.
From a security reason I understand that you wouldn't want to reverse track a VM to its host. But I wonder if there is some way either through PowerCLI or on a Windows Machine the registry to get that info...
Thanks,
Boston Tech Guy