Transfer of vmdk files between hosts

[vincentc]

Hi

The current source hosts are running ESX4.0 and the target hosts are running ESXi5.0.

Unfortunately, there is no common storage between the 2 set of hosts, so hot migration is not possible.

For the cold migration, I stops a VM and uses FastSCP from Veam to transfer the vmdk and other files . Everything works fine, I can then add to the new inventory and start successfully the VM on the new host.

The issue is the time it takes to transfer. It takes about 2h to transfer a 80Gb vmdk with throughput averaging 15Mb/s.

I have so many VM to transfer (and many bigger than 80Gb), that it will be a nightmare.

Is there a faster way to transfer vmdk from esx to esxi (for example from esx to PC then PC to esxi)?

Are there better tools?

Thanks for your help

[Troy_Clavell]

Do you have vCenter?  If so, you can cold migrate the guests from one host to another. If no vCenter, you may try using VMware Converter.

[vincentc]

Thanks

Yes I do have Vcenter. How to you do a cold migration with it?

I think I tried before using the storage vmotion (migrate data store) but it failed after a while, and I though it was because the HostA storage could not be accessed by HOSTB and vice versa

[Troy_Clavell]

if the source host cannot see the destinations hosts storage, then you can't use Storage vMotion.  To cold migrate, power down the guests, right click and migrate. You'll have the option to change host, change datastore or change host and datastore. pick your poison

[cmcminn]

It sounds like if you are going to do a copy, you are going to wait long periods of time.  You might try a replication tool such as Veeam ro Quest... You might be able to migrate the VMs to the secondary datastore via replication while having the environment available...  

[vincentc]

Yes, I have a feeling that might be the case for the cold vcenter migration.

I will investigate the replication tool from Veam.

Thank you both for your suggestion

[HitechCityHyd]

I give you the best solution for you

Frist you add that data store to your new ESXi5.0 then when it see's the data store in new ESXi5.0 ...then remove that VM from ESX4.0 inventory ...then add VM on specific ESXi5.0 host

[vincentc]

Hi Hitech

The store cannot be attached from one set of hosts to the other one. Different hardware and no dual connectivty, hence the problem!