vcenter migration

[ITInfra-CL]

Good Day.

Due to an error encountered while updating/upgrading our windows based vcenter(version 6.7) we are planning to upgrade our existing vcenter to vcsa 7. Can you guys check the plans that I created below if they are is feasible? I'm doing my own simulations but just want to know your thoughts/recommendations if there are easier way to do it. I don't know if the Plan B and C will work.

PLAN A: NO Downtime

1. Create new vcenter
2. configure the Datacenters and Clusters
3. export the VDS configurations from current vcenter
4. Import the VDS configurations to new vcenter
5. In the old vcenter VDS configuration remove 1 uplink for each VDS.
6. access the ESXI console and create new standard vswitches equivalent to VDS available in the vcenter
7. Add 1 VMNIC(Physical Nic) per standard vswitch that you created as an uplink
8. Configure the portgroups, recreate every portgroup that exist in the vds to standard vswitch
9. Perform the step 6-8 to each hosts in datacenter
10. Change VM network settings to use the standard vswitch portgroup equivalent to vds portgroup that it currently using. Perform the same steps on all VMs, including powered-off VMs.

NOTE: Make sure that the VMs are still accessible after changing the port groups.

1. Disconnect the host to vcenter once confirmed that the VM that it hosting is using the standard vswitch portgroup.
2. Connect the hosts one by one to new vcenter.
3. Add hosts to the new vcenter vds.
4. Change VM network settings to use the vds portgroup. Perform the same steps on all VMs, including powered-off VMs.
5. remove the Uplink to standard vswitch of every hosts
6. Manage the vds and add the VMNIC you removed from the Standard witch as an uplink.

PLAN B: With possible downtime

1. Create new vcenter
2. configure the Datacenters and Clusters
3. export the VDS configurations from current vcenter
4. Import the VDS configurations to new vcenter
5. Disconnect the host to vcenter once confirmed that the VM that it hosting is using the standard vswitch portgroup.
6. Connect the hosts one by one to new vcenter.

PLAN C: MOVING VMs TO NEW VCENTER USING VMOTION VIA ENHANCED LINKED MODE

1. Create new vcenter
2. configure the Datacenters and Clusters
3. export the VDS configurations from current vcenter
4. Import the VDS configurations to new vcenter
5. Link new vcenter to existing vcenter using the Enhanced linked mode
6. Move the VMs to new vcenter