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rxjoseph
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

How to Disable DRS on a Single ESXi Host within a Cluster

Hello Experts

I have a cluster where we have 30 ESXi host on vSAN, with DRS fully automated , are in the process of adding Two more ESXi host just for projects

We need to keep the ESXi host free I.E we don't want DRS to move VMs to the New ESXi host

How can I exclude ESXi host from DRS without Disabling DRS.

This is very critical for our environment and can someone help me with my query please

Many thanks

Rosh

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8 Replies
daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

If you don't want VMs moved to it then don't put it in the cluster. It can sit outside of it just fine. When you're ready for it to run VMs, drag-and-drop it into the destination cluster.

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rxjoseph
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi

Yes that the obvious way to do it, but in our case we need the Two ESXi host sitting on the cluster but we need to use it for projects hence we don't want any VMs sitting on the ESXi host

Since it's part of the vSAN we need to keep all the ESXi host within the same cluster

My query is how to exclude a ESXi host from DRS or How can I prevent DRS moving VMs to the ESXi host without disabling or setting DRS to manual

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a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

The usual way to achieve this is to create DRS Affinity/Anti-Affinity rules.

André

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daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

I'm just confused as to what "projects" you would need it for that don't involve running VMs. You would have to use anti-affinity rules to keep VMs off of it, but keep in mind that even if you do, vSAN is still going to instantiate objects there if its disk groups are contributing to the cluster. So while not "running VMs" you're still actually running VMs.

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rxjoseph
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks for the reply may be i confused you

When I say projects there will be a set of VMs running on the new ESXi servers but I don't want DRS randomly moving VMS

I get your point, but trying to figure a way if I could exclude DRS on a Single ESXi host

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rxjoseph
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

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saibhuvan
Contributor
Contributor

Just get the host which you want to reboot into maintainance mode. Then migrate all VMs from that into other hosts. Then when the host is in maintainance mode you can reboot it or what ever you want to perform. But it is exitted from maintainance, other vms might migrate back into the host which you want to reboot.

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RajeevVCP4
Expert
Expert

I think if you disable vmotion port on both hosts DRS will not migrate any vm there 

How to do it, connect on single host by UI , Networking -. Edit setting of vmk ( which is using for vmotion , ) uncheck vmotion traffic and save

Rajeev Chauhan
VCIX-DCV6.5/VSAN/VXRAIL
Please mark help full or correct if my answer is use full for you
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