VMware Cloud Community
gsaundersfcclif
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Questions about moving 1 of 3 domain controllers from ESXi4.1 host to ESXi5 host.

Is this environment I have 3 2008 R2 domain controllers.

1 Physical

2 Virtual

I want to power down one of the virtual DC's and move it from first host (ESXi 4.1) to second host (ESXi 5).

My concern is whether or not the NIC within the guest OS will get messed with or will it stay as it is.

If I recall the mac address will indeed change (unless I have hard coded it in configuration file), but that should not cause an issue.

What I don't know is if a new NIC will show up in guest OS rendering the old NIC useless causing me to reconfigure network settings.  Something I don't want to have to do.  I know I have seen a similar issue with a linux VM before, but can't remember seeing it happen in a Windows VM.  Just want to be sure before I try it.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.


Greg

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
jrmunday
Commander
Commander
Jump to solution

Migrating VM's between hosts will not make any changes to the network adapter or MAC address. You need to make sure that the required networking is presented to both hosts if you want to move it between them seamlessly. If the network label is not the same between hosts, then you will need to edit the VM settings and use the drop down to select the appropriate network before powering it up on the new host. But this should be a quick and easy task with no surprises.

Cheers,

Jon

vExpert 2014 - 2022 | VCP6-DCV | http://www.jonmunday.net | @JonMunday77

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
9 Replies
jrmunday
Commander
Commander
Jump to solution

Migrating VM's between hosts will not make any changes to the network adapter or MAC address. You need to make sure that the required networking is presented to both hosts if you want to move it between them seamlessly. If the network label is not the same between hosts, then you will need to edit the VM settings and use the drop down to select the appropriate network before powering it up on the new host. But this should be a quick and easy task with no surprises.

Cheers,

Jon

vExpert 2014 - 2022 | VCP6-DCV | http://www.jonmunday.net | @JonMunday77
Reply
0 Kudos
TomHowarth
Leadership
Leadership
Jump to solution

As long as you have the same networks in terms of VLANs and portgroups presented to each ESXi host,  the migration will be smooth.  alternatively if you are really worried, why not just build a new Windows server on the ESXi5 host and run DCPromo on it, then transfer the FSMO roles you need and demote on of the DCs on the ESXi4 host.

Tom Howarth VCP / VCAP / vExpert
VMware Communities User Moderator
Blog: http://www.planetvm.net
Contributing author on VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment
Contributing author on VCP VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 4 Study Guide: Exam VCP-410
iw123
Commander
Commander
Jump to solution

As stated above, the network settings shouldn't change if all you are doing is moving the VM from one host to another. You could always attach the DC to an isolated vlan when you boot it up on the new host, then you can check out the settings etc to make sure all looks ok before connecting it back to your production network/vlan.

*Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers
Reply
0 Kudos
gsaundersfcclif
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Well guys,

Let me give an update.  I did a TEST on another VM (NOT a DC).

Since the ESX4.x was actually the free version I couldn't do a migrate... so I ended up using the VM Converter for this test.

Well that route most definitely caused a new NIC 2 to show up in the guest and the original one went away.

Before I powered up this unit I saw that the NIC was type E1000 and it was the VMXNET3.  I changed it to VMXNET3... I think I had to remove and then add the NIC back to get a chance to pick VMXNET3.  Everything else was the same, but client ended up seeing a new NIC.

In the end I think doing this with VMConverter is NOT going to be helpful... forgot the ESXi4.1 was the free on and the ESXi5 was Essentials Plus.

I wonder now if simply copying it (not converting) would have been more favorable.  I'll do some more testing.

The question about why don't I just spin up a new DC (not transferring FSMO since the other two have all that... this just has GC).  Anyway... IF it would just move over cleanly then I wouldn't need to spin up a new one, put on updates and so forth (haven't messed with templates yet which can help setup new VM's quicker).  Anyway... if I could have it move and NOTHING changes I would imagine that would be the quickest thing to do.

I haven't had to mess with moving things around all that much so this is some good testing.  I am going to do the same test above, but this time just copy and not convert and see how it acts.

Thanks.

Reply
0 Kudos
iw123
Commander
Commander
Jump to solution

VM converter will create new hardware as it is considered a new VM. Just doing a copy, and importing onto your other host should work ok.

*Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers
jdptechnc
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

If you're licensed for Essentials Plus, why don't you add your ESXi 4 host to your vCenter that you're using for Essentials Plus (assuming you haven't already hit your three host limit)?  Then you can register this VM and all other once on this host and migrate everything from within vCenter.  When you're done, remove the host from vCenter.

Please consider marking as "helpful", if you find this post useful. Thanks!... IT Guy since 12/2000... Virtual since 10/2006... VCAP-DCA #2222
Reply
0 Kudos
gsaundersfcclif
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

jdptechnc,

I did try that... I went to add the existing ESXi4.1 to vCenter 5.0 and it said it wasn't licensed to do so.  It was the free version of ESXi4.1.  Unless there was something else I needed to do to make it work.

With vSphere 5.x Essentials Plus I know I can add another host, but will that license work on the ESXi 4.1?  And then when done remove the license so I can put it on the new build of ESXi5 on a second host?

Thanks,

Greg

Reply
0 Kudos
jdptechnc
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

You should be able to connect a 4.x host in that scenario, and then when you're done, it can be removed, and a 5.x host added.

I think all you're missing is removing the ESXi free license key from the ESXi host first before trying to add it to vCenter.  I haven't gone through that procedure before, but I believe that is all you need to do.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101827...

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101083...

Please consider marking as "helpful", if you find this post useful. Thanks!... IT Guy since 12/2000... Virtual since 10/2006... VCAP-DCA #2222
Reply
0 Kudos
gsaundersfcclif
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Since my last post as a test I used Veeams Free Backup and Replication tool and did a copy of the files from ESX4.1 host to the ESX5 host and then added it to inventory.

This worked.  Original NIC came through without issue.  Just had to update vmware tools.

I'll try your suggestion as a test as well.  Good to play with different scenarios to see what will happens.

EDIT:  But if I remove the free license on ESXi4 won't it drop back to evaluation which only runs 60 days from install and since this ESXi4.1 has been installed for quite a while what would happen?


Greg

Reply
0 Kudos