Question about migrating NFS port group to a new vswitch

[Toenuff]

We currently have our NFS port group on the vSwitch that has all of our vlans and I would like to move it off to an isolated vSwitch with dedicated NICs that will only handle NFS communnication.

I have two additional nics that I've configured on another vSwitch. My question is can I just remove the port group from the one vSwitch and add it to this new one and expect it to work? Will this dismount and mount the NFS volume for me? Will it just have a quick blip? Is this a bigger undertaking? I'm asking because I'm trying to figure out if I need to power off all of the vms that are on NFS prior to moving the port group.

Is there another method I should be following to do what I'm trying to do?

Thank you,

t

[weinstein5]

As long as the addrssing does not change it should be fine as long as you create the vmkernel on the new vSwitch first - but personally I would always err on the side of caution and shut down the VMs because you are only talking an otage of less than 1/2 hour depending on the numbe rof VMs -

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[kjb007 · Accepted solution]

You will need to schedule an outage. You will need to create a new vmkernel portgroup, since you can't really "move" a portgroup. Also, since you have to create a vmkernel portgroup, it can not be on the same subnet as the existing vmkernel portgroup. You can't have two on the same subnet, no matter how many vSwitch'es you have. Also, I'm not 100% sure that the NFS, when you remount it, will get assigned a new ID, and be recognized as a new datastore, and force you to re-register your vm's. This is easily enough done, but it may be required.

-KjB

VMware vExpert

[Toenuff]

Got the work done. We probably could have done this without an outage though since they were all in a DRS cluster.

This would be the way to do it if anyone ever needs to get it done:

1) Put a host into maintenance mode.

2) Remove the existing VMKernel port group for NFS from the existing vSwitch

3) Set up a new vSwitch with a new VMKernel port group for NFS using the same IP we were using

4) Verify that the storage is there. On one server we needed to restart the management console. Other than that they all came up with no problems.

5) Exit maintenance mode

6) Rinse and repeat

Thanks for the help.

[kjb007]

No problem. Glad all went well. You didn't mention this was part of a cluster, but then, I didn't ask either. :smileyblush:

-KjB

VMware vExpert