Migrating vCenter server vm to incompatible cpu?

[HopeCollege]

Our vCenter server and the SQL database run on a single vm. The datastore is a SAN which is accessible to all the ESX(i) hosts.

How do I migrate this VM to a new ESX(i) host if the cpus are not compatible? I'd suspect this rules out vMotion?

So far my searches for this scenario haven't come across any solutions.

[FranckRookie · Accepted solution]

Hi HopeCollege,

Connect with VI Client to the ESXi that hosts the vCenter virtual machine. Shut it down gracefully. Unregister it from the host, just remove it from the inventory.

Connect to the destination ESXi with VI Client. Browse the datastore and register the vCenter virtual machine. Check network configuration and all VM settings. Finally start it.

Good luck.

Regards

Franck

[NuggetGTR]

Cold migration will work wont it? its only vMotion that wont allow it if cpus are not compatible, but turning the machine off then just migrate to the other ESXi host should be sweet.

[FranckRookie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the VM HopeCollege wants to move does contain the vCenter application. So how do you cold migrate a VM when vCenter is down?

[NuggetGTR]

haha well thats a good point you have there

note to self read every word next time

[HopeCollege]

FrankRookie,

Thank you. Do you know if the vCenter server database will update itself once it comes up and properly show its new location?

ie. if vCenter is running on host1 before it is shutdown and is running on host3 when it powers back up will it properly reflect that change when I connect the VIClient back to the vCenter server?

-Steve Bareman

[NuggetGTR]

it should as its a registered vm already so it should pick up the change, if by some chance it didnt, worst case remove the esx host vcenter server is on from vcenter then re add it, that would import all machines on that ESX host in the proccess or re adding. but im positive it would update itself.

[FranckRookie]

Yes, database will be updated. I'm pretty sure there was an article in the knowledge base about such an operation. I found only this document but it's not far from being the same situation.

Good luck.

Franck

[HopeCollege]

At the time I posed the question I wasn't aware of VMware EVC Mode.  We added our newer hosts in a new HAC with an EVC mode that allowed the vCenter server to live migrate.

Thank you for your helpful suggestions, regardless of the alternate path we chose.  The knowledge was still of comfort to have.

-Steve