Can't remove hosts from Cluster, No HA/DRS enabled.

[bheusmann]

I created a Cluster in a lab vSPhere system and prior to adding a host forgot to enable vmware EVC. One of my vSPhere 6 hosts added to the cluster fine, but the other one isn't the same CPU and needed EVC enabled to receive migrations from the vsphere host. There are only 2 hosts, both in the cluster, but I can't migrate between them because EVC is disabled. I can't put the main host into Maintenance mode because it's hosting the VSA vCenter. It's a semi-production, so I could shut it down to re-configure it, but I can't seem to figure out how to shut down all the VM's including the VSA vCenter and remove the host from the cluster?

-B

[rcporto]

Check if helps: VMware KB: Enabling EVC on a cluster when vCenter Server is running in a virtual machine

[Deepeer · Accepted solution]

Can you try the below steps

1. Create another new cluster enabling EVC

2. On the hosts, rightclick->Connection->Disconnect

3. On the hosts , rightClick->Remove from Inventory

4. Add the removed hosts on new cluster where EVC is enabled.

Please note that the VM ID's may change but the VM's will be up and running . Hope this solves your problem

[bheusmann]

I think this is exactly what I need to do. I did a test because I was concerned that when I removed from inventory and then re-added to the vCenter all the VDS networking would be lost. I added a second vSphere host to vCenter, migrated it to the VDS for Management and LAN traffic so there were no Standard vSwitches on the system. I created a test VM as well.

When I disconnected and then removed from inventory the host was still up as expected. I re-added to the vCenter again with no issues. The only thing I noticed was it wasn't fully in the Networking. I went to the VDS and added host networking, added the host and all the links that had been setup when it was in the previous cluster on the vCenter were set to Auto-Assign. I left this set, clicked through the rest to Finish and the host was re-added tot he VDS networking so I could manage it as it was before.

This is the intended process correct? When re-adding the host, all the VM's and host will retain the VDS networking and port groups etc, and then when adding it back in leaving Auto-Assign will put it back to the correct UPG's etc. Confirmation of this would be appreciated, once I have that and know my VDS networking won't be lost I'll proceed. Thanks.

-BH