Storage VMotion Fails When Moving Single VMDK

[sheetsb]

I've been trying to use SVmotion to move a VMDK for a VM without relocating the VM configuration and other VMDKs associated with the VM. The configuration and one VMDK are located on one LUN and the second VMDK is located on another LUN. When I try to move the VMDK I get the following:

Received an error from the server: The requested Storage VMotion would move a virtual machine's disks without assigning the virtual machine a new home, but such a move is not supported on the source host 'hostname'.

On page 248 of the "Basic System Administraton Guide" () such a move should work.

+"--disks If you do not specify this parameter, all virtual disks associated with a virtual machine are relocated to the same datastore as the virtual machine configuration file. By specifying this parameter, you can choose to locate individual virtual disks to different datastores. If you would like to keep a virtual disk on its current datastore, use the --disks option for that disk with its current datastore as the <new datastore>." +

So my question is what am I missing and why doesn't this work?

Bill S.

[Legendary]

Hi,

Same problem here. I'm trying to move a second hard disk to another VMFS partition, but same error message.

Any ideas yet?

Regards,

Aico

[sheetsb]

VMWare support is telling me SVMOTION doesn't work this way. Per the SE you have to move the VM configuration file along with the VMDK then you can move the config back. Otherwise you must shutdown the VM to move it.

Bill S.

[Legendary]

Ok,

I've found a way around it without having to shut down your VM.

Just follow the following steps and it should work.

- Migrate the entire VM with all it's disks and configuration to the destination disk on which you want the second disk to reside. (Assuming you have enough storage available)

- When this is finished open the Storage Vmotion screen and drag the entire VM back to the original disk. You will notice that also both disks are moved along with the VM.

- Now BEFORE hitting APPLY drag the second disk back to the desired VMFS partition and hit APPLY afterwards.

You will notice that the VM configuration and the first harddisk is being moved back to the location they came from and the second disk remains on the VMFS partition that you wanted it.

And all of this without any downtime. How about that.

[sheetsb]

I thought about that as an option, but I don't always have enough space for both VMDKs. It seems that you should be able to move just one without having to move the entire VM. I read another post (I can't remember how I found it) stating that VMWare may be planning to release an update that will make this all possible. Unfortunately there wasn't any more information than that.

Bill S.

[Legendary]

Hi Bill,

I agree. The whole idea of Storage Vmotion is that you are able to make more efficient use of your storage and VMDK's. What's the point of Storage Vmotion if you are unable to move separate disks.

But if it's true that VMware is planning an update, then I guess that they got the message.

Regards,

Aico

[GFFG]

prob not the right answer.

Try grabbing the VM and drag and drop.

Prob not what your looking for.