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jburen
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Cross vCenter vMotion between 6.0 and 6.7

I'm working on a migration project and we have one final cluster to migrate. This cluster uses ACI in combination with the Cisco AVS. The AVS is not supported on ESXi 6.7 so I need to come up with a migration plan. But that is easier said than done... My suggested plan is to create a new VMM domain in ACI and point that to the new vCenter Server. This will create a DVS in the new vCenter Server. The next step would be to evacuate a host, disconnect it from the old vCenter Server and connect it to the new vCenter Server. The final step would be a cross vCenter vMotion from the old vCenter to the new vCenter. I could use the Cross vCenter Workload Migration Utility | VMware Flings but for this to work both vCenters must be in Linked Mode. Is it possible to configure this even after both vCenter Servers already have been installed?

The old vCenter is a Windows 6.0 U3i with an external PSC. The new vCenter is a VCSA 6.7 U3c with embedded PSC.

Any idea's how to do this migration?

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jburen
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We had no luck with the fling. We got errors about the portgroup (bug #10 network device not present in the network mapping for vm) so finally we used the Move-VM cmdlet in a custom script.

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daphnissov
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I could use the Cross vCenter Workload Migration Utility | VMware Flings but for this to work both vCenters must be in Linked Mode.

This isn't true; the utility has no reliance upon ELM.

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jburen
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The requirements section refers to this article: VMware Knowledge Base  That article states: When using the vSphere Web Client, both vCenter Server instances must be in Enhanced Linked Mode and must be in the same vCenter Single Sign-On domain so that the source vCenter Server can authenticate to the destination vCenter Server.

But if it is not required that would open up possibilities.

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daphnissov
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The fling was recently incorporated into the vsphere client (HTML5), but prior to that it was a standalone utility in which you'd register each vCenter individually. There was no reliance upon ELM for that functionality. I haven't used the fling since it was brought into the vSphere client so not sure if that earlier behavior is possible. I'd check there.

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T_16
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Correct, you need no ELM for the standalone fling, but for the integrated one which registers the plug-in, you do it seems.

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vGuy
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We have used Cross vCenter Workload Migration Utility | VMware Flings  regularly for past couple of years. I can confirm you there is no dependency on ELM.

I have tested the vSphere Client Plugin few months ago and do not remember any requirements for ELM in there too. You should be able to register the vCenter which is not part of ELM or even same SSO Domain.

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jburen
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We had no luck with the fling. We got errors about the portgroup (bug #10 network device not present in the network mapping for vm) so finally we used the Move-VM cmdlet in a custom script.

Consider giving Kudos if you think my response helped you in any way.
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