Flexible scenario using ESXi 4 on USB

[AlbertWT]

Hi All,

I'm planning to get a proper USB 2 GB and install ESXi in it, can the following scenario happens using USB install ESXi ?

No need to reinstall the ESXi when the hard disk RAID level changed on the existing local datastore, since i can just

1. VMotion all of the VM and empty the datastore

2. shutdown the ESXi

3. unplug the USB

4. perform the RAID reconfiguration.

5. plug the USB back again and bot the ESXi

6. detect new datastore, format as necessary

7. return the VM back to the new datastore ?

is that achievable ?

Kind Regards,

AWT

[admin]

Yes you can do it.

I belive your are having a cluster setup to do VMotion. If so than do VMotion provided all VMs(VMDK files) reside on a shared storage from host-A to host-B.

Re-Configure RAID on host-A uneffecting shared storages, boot from USB, it as good as booting after installation, do revese VMotion operation from host-B to host-A.

Thanx,

-M

[DSTAVERT · Accepted solution]

That absolutely works. No need to unplug the USB unless your server doesn't have a way to boot directly into your raid tools or CD.

[DSTAVERT]

Albert

I would find some way to get a test environment. Even though my company is small I have managed to collect 4 servers for testing. They allow me to practice my next change or upgrade. When it comes time to make the change I have run through the process several times. I know what to expect and understand how to overcome the gotcha's that inevitably arise.

[AlbertWT]

Hi Mukheem, yes, that is correct I'm trying to eliminate the hassle of reconfiguring the host manually one by one after the local datastore reformat or LUN changes.

David, yes, that is what i should do, unfortunately I've got no spare server to try on apart from HP old desktop (Pentium 4).

Kind Regards,

AWT

[DSTAVERT]

My test servers have been picked up from HP off lease -- DL385's and DL585s. I have never paid a whole lot for them. Almost embarrassingly little.