reallocate vm machine

[tul11]

Hi

I need o allocate vm from one ESX to another ESX. the 2 ESX sits in different cities - so I cannot copy \ colone it across the network - I will get the vm files from the previous ESX and upload them to the new ESX. As the vm cannot be down for more that 30 minutes I need to find best way to achieve this.

My thought:

1. Clone the vm machine on ESX A (the source)

2. Get the cloned machine files on DVD \ Type (cannot copy over the network).

3. once get the files; upload the converted machine to datastore, Update to the new ESX (How can I do this?)

4. Turn off the original machine (in ESX A), Change vm IP address in ESX B, turn on the machine. (any additional steps?)

5. do DNSflush etc , reboot etc.

I am not sure about items 3-4.

The machine is production critical and should be down not more than 30 minutes.

The machine should retain the same hostname but different ip address.

Any tips will be appreciated,

Enviorment:

esx 4

vsphare 4

Windows servers 2003

Thanks

[athlon_crazy]

3. Browse datastore, locate .vmx file (right clik) then add/register to inventory

4. You can turn on VM both ESX A & B but for VM at ESX B, disconnect virtual network adapter. After you configured network (static) & everything, disconnect vnic for VM at ESX A & connect vnic VM at ESX B

vcbMC-1.0.6 Beta

vcbMC-1.0.7 Lite

http://www.no-x.org

[a2alpha]

Hi,

I take it the two cities are close by that the time it takes you to travel to the site with the VM and upload it would take you less than 30 mins.

Although you said that you couldn't clone across the network, how about replication. If you used something like Veeam, you could do the initial replication which would take a bit of time, and then do another pass to update it and keep the VM current. Once both a fairly synced, turn off the original, power on the destination VM and change its IP address.

Providing you don't have a huge VM with masses of changes or a really slow link you could easily bring the new VM up without losing as much as 30 minutes downtime.

With Veeam you get a 30 day eval so you could prove that it works in advance, even bring up the new machine in a test network to make sure it is ok, obviously then buy the product as it is superb!

Hope this helps,

Dan

[dkfbp]

1. While the machine is running clone it to a new virtual machine.

2. select the new virtual machine and go to "file" - "export" - "export as OVF template"

3. Bring the DVD USB disk to the secondary site

4. Go to "File" and "Deploy OVF template" - browse to the exported VM.

5. Turn it up and change IP address

Best regards

Frank Brix Pedersen

blog: http://www.vfrank.org