Migrating from ESX 4.0 to ESXi 5.0 with vDS

[virtualdive]

Hello All,

I want to migrate our current ESX servers from ESX 4.0 U3 to ESXi 5.0. Currently all the ESX 4.0's are part of Distributed Switches. I could not find any document over the internet on this type of migration or maybe I haven't looked too deep yet.

All the information given over the net is just about migration on Standard Switches. Migrating the ESX 4.0 to ESXi5 with vDS is a complex task as compared to vSS.

Does anyone have any document or KB link on this, specifically on vDS migration or how this will be done.

Thanks

[Jvdp]

Hello VirtualDiive,

From my experience it is not possible to migrate from one vDS directly to another. You need to setup the new vCenter server 5, migrate back to standard switches, configure the new vDS and move one host at a time.

VMware KB 1029498 states the following:

To move an ESX/ESXi 4.x host with vNetwork Distributed Switch (vDS) from one vCenter Server to another:

Note: If you are migrating to vCenter Server 4.0 to vCenter 4.1, see Migrating an existing vCenter Server database to 4.1 using the Data Migration Tool (1021635).

1. Create a Standard Switch for the virtual machine, VMkernel, and Service Console port group depending on the environment on the ESX host you are migrating.
   
2. Disable vNetwork Distributed Switches on the ESX host you are migrating and move ESX host to the Standard Switch you created in step 1. For more information, see Disabling vNetwork Distributed Switches (1010718).
   
3. Check if the vCenter Server cluster is configured with EVC or not. If the destination vCenter Server is configured with EVC, all virtual machines must be powered off while adding the host to new vCenter Server.
   
4. Remove the ESX host from the cluster and add it to the new vCenter Server.
   
5. Create distributed switches in the new vCenter Server.
   
6. Migrate the new host networking from standard switch to vNetwork Distributed Switch. For more information, see Migrating Service Console and/or VMkernel port from Standard Switches to Distributed Switch (1010614... and Migrating virtual machines between vSwitch or PortGroups to vDS or dvPortgroups (1010612).
   

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102949...

Also this link can help you if you have a lot of VLANs: http://www.gabesvirtualworld.com/migrating-distributed-vswitch-to-new-vcenter/

I know that most of these procedures are for ESX 4.1, but procedure should be the same if you are migrating to ESXi 5.

Good luck 🙂

[escapem2]

exactly what I was looking for....

sometimes I think is it worth having vDS...?

[klkl2]

I have the same problem, but I can't just move all vlan's from vDS switch to vSwitch because of pvlan's (private vlan) that are not support by vSwitch.

Is it any solution for that configuration?

[michaelstump]

If you've never looked at Cisco's 1000v vitrual switch, now might be a good time. Many people weren't interested when it was first released, primarily due to the cost. But there's a "freemium" version in the works that might interest you. I've done migrations from 4.1 to 5.0 using a 1000v, and it was surprisingly simple once you've wrapped your mind around how the 1000v works.

mike

[klkl2]

I have found another solution, and I will try it soon:

http://www.ivobeerens.nl/2012/10/29/migrate-to-a-new-vcenter-server-with-the-vsphere-distributed-swi...

It sounds pretty simple.