Using Dmotion - is it strictly over network or fabric?

[REALM]

I have 1 old san and 3 esx 3.0.2 hosts.

I have 1 new san and 3 new esx 3.5 hosts.

If I connect the new hosts to new storage and the old private vlan, can I just vmotion with data relocation to new hosts and new san, or do the new esx hosts have to see the old san storage? I wasn't sure if dmotion went just over network or fabric.

Thank you,

[admin · Accepted solution]

They have to be able to see the same storage. However, I don't think you'lk be able to storage-vmotion between 3.0.2 and 3.5, and dMotion was just for 2.5.x->3.x upgrades I believe.

[azn2kew]

I'm having the sam question for CX500 to CX380, looking at the options are:

1. Storage VMotion

2. VMKFSTOOLS (host base tool)

3. Veeam FastSCP (last .vmdk copy to remote storage)

4. SAN Mirror or Copy software that does it on a fly quickly)

5. Certeon or Riverbed WAN Optimzation product where it speed up so fast that 10MB file takes average 4-8 seconds that's awesome but not likely need to be implemented.

Of course, all your storage systems have to be visible. Or you can do standard migration from VI Client with newly built host clusters and SAN LUNs attached.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

[REALM]

As I understand it, I should be able to use vmotion with data relocation between 3.0.2 and 3.5 as long as the VM's are powered off. Can someone confirm?

[azn2kew]

You can use ESX 3.5 Storage VMotion method that will allow your VMs to be online so you don't have to shut it down its great for production servers.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant