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hsun8568
Contributor
Contributor

Migrate VM from old model CPU to a vcenter with new model CPU

Hi All,

I have:

- 1 host ESXi 5.5 with Intel Xeon CPU E7-4860 v2 (Ivy Bridge😞 contains some VMs in my system

- 1 vCenter with a datacenter includes a cluster. The cluster includes 4 host ESXi 6.5 with same Intel Xeon CPU E5-4650 v4 (Broadwell)

And I need to migrate VMs from host ESXi 5.5 to host ESXi 6.5. I tried to migrate by 2 solutions such as:

Solution 1:

- Enable EVC mode Broadwell on the cluster (contains 4 host ESXi 6.5 with CPU E5-4650 v4)

- Add host ESXi 5.5 to the Datacenter (not add to cluster)

- Migrate VM from host ESXi 5.5 (outside cluster) to host ESXi 6.5 (inside cluster)

Solution 2:

- Add host ESXi 5.5 to the Cluster

- Enable EVC mode Ivy Bridge on the cluster (contains 4 host ESXi 6.5 with CPU E5-4650 v4 and 1 host ESXi 5.5 with CPU E7-4860 v2)

- Migrate VM from host ESXi 5.5 (inside cluster) to host ESXi 6.5 (inside cluster)

I have done both above solutions and successfully.

Can you give me the recommended solution for my case ?

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5 Replies
daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

I'm unclear what you're request here since you say both solutions were successful. Are you simply asking if one of these is preferable over the other? If not, can you clarify for us?

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hsun8568
Contributor
Contributor

Yes, I want to ask if one of these is preferable over the other?

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jasnyder
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

The correct answer is solution 1, but don't enable EVC at all on the cluster.  Just migrate.  VMs can pass no problem between hosts of the same processor architecture with different steppings.  EVC mode is to enable hosts with different steppings to join the same cluster - it masks features of the newer procs, dumbing them down to the lowest common denominator.  This isn't necessary for migrating VMs between hosts/clusters.

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hsun8568
Contributor
Contributor

If I don't enabled EVC mode "Broadwell" for the cluster, I cannot migrate VM from old CPU E7-4860 v2 (outsite cluster) to new CPU - E5-4650 v4 (inside cluster)

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If I enabled EVC mode "Broadwell" for the cluster, I can migrate VM from old CPU E7-4860 v2 (outsite cluster) to new CPU - E5-4650 v4 (inside cluster).

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jasnyder
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Well if it works, then I'd say you're good to go.  But it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense that setting the EVC mode on a Broadwell cluster to 'Broadwell' would enable a migration from an Ivy Bridge that otherwise doesn't work.  If the two are incompatible, you shouldn't be able to vmotion unless you turn the Broadwell down to Ivy Bridge.  Unless I'm not tracking what you're saying.

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