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dcbundy
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GuestOS (2k3) copy from ESX 3.0 to (prod) to ESX 3.5 (dev) not network-connected

Hey folks - I apologize in advance if this is a repeat question, I have indeed searched for the answer to no avail.

I have a single ESX 3.0.1 host in the production environment that currently houses some non-production virtual machines. We have created a development lab environment, which has three ESX 3.5 hosts, 2 of those hosts are in a HA cluster. I'm trying to copy/move a 2k3 host in the production environment to the development environment. The caveat is that there is no accessible network connection between the two. For obvious reasons, we have the development network completely disconnected from the production network. My colleague has tried copying the vmdk files, and apparently hasn't had any positive results. Could someone please point me in the right direction? I appreciate the help.

Chrys Bundy

National Geographic Society

Washington, DC

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RParker
Immortal
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Well external disk seems to be the only plausible solution then. So you first need to get a large external disk and attach it the the ESX server, and recognize it as a USB/SCSI drive and format it as VMFS (by adding it as a new volume). Then you copy the files from production to the external disk, unplug the external disk, attach it the DEV machine, rescan for new VMFS volumes, and copy the files from EXT disk to the new server.

That would probably be the easiest method. The problem is I don't know what ESX 3.0 supports as far as USB/External Connections, but ESX 3.5 should make things easier once you can get to the files. Then there is the crossover cable between the 2 machines if possible just to move the files, create a new switch to accomodate the move. Otherwise this severely limits your options.

Why is there no network connection? We have a development network also, but we isolate the DEV network but it's still reachable from PROD, just not the other way around.

dcbundy
Contributor
Contributor

We access the dev lab through a gateway machine that's on both networks (dual nic'd) The dev network is a work in progress. Here's another possibility, though - if we were to take one of the VM hosts that's on the dev network and temporarily connect it's service console to the production network, can we then add the host to the production Virtual Center, even with disparate versions, and then be able to migrate?

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