vCenter VM rename problem

[Bar2D2]

When I try to rename a VM in one of our vCenters "it" just jumps away while I try to edit the name. It goes so fast it is almost impossible to add one character.

When I just watch the vC while selecting a VM I also see a clitch now and then, it seems some kind refresh?

It is a real pain.

Anybody knows what this is and how I can solve this?.

I also noticed the problem only exists when I use the view: Home - Inventory - Host and Clusters or VMs and Templates

When I use Datastore and Datastore Clusters view, there is no problem with editting VM names

vSphere version 5.0.0 Build 913577

[Troy_Clavell]

This has always been a bit of a cumbersome process if you are trying to rename a VM on the left side of your vCenter Organizational "tree structure".  What I typically do is do the rename on the right side of the inventory view the VMs under the Virtual Machines tab.  This will allow you to rename a VM pretty easily.

Also, if you go to your home screen, then search, that works pretty well too.

[Bar2D2]

Thanks Troy, very helpful answer.

So the left tree structure is the problem. But I wonder what really happnes ans why I dont have the same problem in my other two vCs (v 4.1 and 5.1).

[SoundWave81]

Another way to do this that i use which is super easy is to go to the VM's edit settings window and under the Options tab you will find the name of the VM on the top right and you can edit it there as well.  Just remember that renaming a VM on the vcenter side in this manner does not change the name of the files or folders on the storage.  Also with the current releases it no longer changes the name of these files if you do a storage vMotion as it did in past version around 4.1, ect.  The best way around that would be to either use the newest version of converter or you could turn your powered off VM into a template and deploy the same server name from it which would create a new VM with the name you desire with the folder and file names that match up on the LUN or local storage.

[Bar2D2]

Yes, that works also

I only use renames forr retired VMs. I add "-retired" to the name. I will leave them powered off for with vNIC(s) disabled for a week or so, to make sure nobody wants it back, before I delete them. Better safe then sorry .

[SoundWave81]

We do the same thing in my organization.  We rename the virtual machines, zz-[server name] and in the notes section put the date it was retired or moved to a different cluster if we cloned it for load balancing between cluster.  Not only does this help to mark them but by putting zz- at the beginning it will move the server to the very bottom of your list of servers in your view so you dont see mixed off and on servers in your server list.