How to preserve datastorage when upgrading from ESXi 3.5u3 to u4

[MikeAtMilano]

Hi all,

i'm a absolute beginners, but going on, i need some suggestion for the issue that recently made me crazy.

I've an ESXi 3.5 u3 installed on a USB pen , that worked fine for a while.

Now i want to upgrade it to u4 , attaching also another datastorage (USB disk 1T), but preserving the actual datastorage, that have an dozen of VM running.

Is it possibile to do?

IT is not so simply, like i saw recently , when for a problem i made the same thing on a little server wiht only one VM!!!

The datastorage weren't recognized, and the only thing that i was able to do, was format and remoutn the new datastorage.

Other way, what i can do to made a fresh installation and preserve the VMs (or move to the new datastorage) ?

Thanks all.

Michele

[AndreTheGiant]

Also in a fresh reinstallation you will able to maintain your datastore content (just do not change the partition table and do not select to erase the datastore).

During an upgrade is even more simple (just do not select to erase the datastore).

First do the upgrade, then attach the second disk and format it from VIC.

Andre

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[MikeAtMilano]

Hi Andre,

what you say is what i think.

But, in the example i made in real environment, the datastorage weren't founded direclty.

The VIC asked me to format NEW datastorage, when in fact there were the VM already installed.

The solution was founded importing the snapshots, but i do not understand how to show these datastorage to the Host, without formatting them.

To mount original, snapshot, or replica VMFS volumes

1 Perform the required storage tasks:

a Make the array snapshot or replica.

b Mask or zone the snapshot or replica to the ESX Server.

2 In the VI Client, select the host in the inventory panel.

3 Click the Configuration tab and click Advanced Settings.

4 Select LVM in the left panel, then set the LVM.EnableResignature option to 1.

5 Rescan for any new LUNs or VMFS volumes. Volumes that are detected to be

snapshots or replicas are resignatured.

After rescan, the copied VMFS volume appears as

/vmfs/volumes/snap-<DIGIT>-<old-label>.

If the .vmx file for any of the virtual machines or the .vmsd file for virtual machine

snapshots contains /vmfs/volumes/<label or UUID>/ paths, you must change

these items to reflect the resignatured volume path.

6 Set the LVM.EnableResignature option to 0 after resignaturing is complete.

For to import the VMs then i...

Browse the datastore for that VMs

vmx file and select it. Complete the resulting wizard to add the VM back

to inventory.

Michele

[AndreTheGiant]

If you do an upgrade (without formatting the datastore) you must see again the old datastore.

If you do reinstall, or if you change somethingat storage level (like new firmware for example), then is possible that you cannot see the VMFS partition. In this case you need to resign the volume.

Andre

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[MikeAtMilano]

Nothing were changed , i added only RAM.

Then, starting from the ESXi3.5u4 cd i choosed to repair the actual installation on the USB flash disk, and the HOST restarted without the orignal data storage.

[AndreTheGiant]

But have you tried to use the LVM Resignature option?

Andre

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[MikeAtMilano]

I do not know LVM resignatur eoption.

I suppose soemtnignh goes wrong during the installation , but in any moment an error apperas.

Only when the host restarted, with VIC i waqs able to connect to the server and saw that the old datastorage weren't there.

In that case, my question is, how to "import" the old disks/datastorages?

Is the LVM resignature, an host command, or i can do it by VIC?

thanks

[depping]

You already gave the answer a couple of replies above?!

Set LVM and rescan, rename the datastore and reregister.

Duncan

VMware Communities User Moderator | VCP | VCDX

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[AndreTheGiant]

Use VIC, ESX object, Configuration, Advanced Settins, LVM node, set the LVM.EnableResignature to 1.

Then rescan (flag also scan for new VMFS) the storage adapter and watch in you storage (the old datastore must appear, probably with another name).

Then set again the value to 0.

Andre

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[Josh26]

Then, starting from the ESXi3.5u4 cd i choosed to repair the actual installation

You will find the process far less troublesome if you use the VMWare Update Client from a client machine. This will also save your need to ever burn a CD and use the console to do this upgrade.