Adding a new Host Server?

[itluser]

I currently have an ESX3.5 server running on a Poweredge2450. This has been running fine for the last year of so. Recently, we started to get a bit concerned about redundancy and I would like to introduce another server. The problem, I think, is that becasue this server is over a year old I wouldn't be able to get an exact server to match it and I am worried how the Operating Systems would react if moved from one server to another with different hardware. I think Windows would look for reactivation etc.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get around this?

Thanks

[AWo]

Virtual machines can be moved without any problems, in most cases. But you have to be aware off:

• VMotion might not be possible so you have to move them offline.

• If you have a guest OS (like Linux) which has processor specific settings compiled in the Kernel that might lead to issues if you move the guest to different processor types. That must not be the case as many Kernels can run on different processors, but that might occur.

AWo

VCP / VMware vEXPERT 2009

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[itluser]

Anytime I have tried to move a virtual machine the guest operating system realises that it is now on new hardware and Windows looks to be re-activated. This is acceptable. Do you think this shouldn't be happening?

[AWo]

Do you think this shouldn't be happening?

Depends on the guest OS and on the source from where you moved the guest.

From where to where do you moved it?

This document might help you: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/mobility_guide.pdf

AWo
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Edited by AWo

[itluser]

I am just reading through that manual now, thanks. I want to be able to move the virtual machine from one ESX server to another. But the ESX server will not have the same hardware spec./

[AWo]

In most cases that won't happen as the virtual hardware doesn't change. Otherwise things like VMotion would be very unpopular, but that is not the case.

From my experience activation would be necessary when you move Microsoft Desktop OS like Vista, use a non-volume license and the MAC and the UUID change while moving the guest. The latter can be avoided if you answer that the guest was moved, not copied if VMware asks you.

Check these links, they discuss your issue:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/654251#654251

http://communities.vmware.com/message/970953#970953

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1159671#1159671

AWo
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[Blitz_Fandango]

What is the destination hardware? You said 2450 in your original post. Is that accurate? I'm hoping not.

vmotion is possible to some of the newer hardware available using EVC. However, there are still some limitations.

[itluser]

That was incorrect.It should read PowerEdge 2950.

The destination hardware will be a similar version of this but because the one we have is nearlly 2 years old there will be some big differences on the system board and processor.

[Blitz_Fandango]

You're in partial luck. The hardware is somewhat compatible. I currently run a cluster with three types of servers.

- 1st generation 2950

- 2snd generation 2950

- R710

These mostly get along fine. I was assured by Dell that EVC would be my salvation for moving forward. However, that wasn't entirely correct. Without modification I can migrate VMs off of the R710 to either of the 2950s. But I can't vMotion them back onto the R710. I've had to set a CPU mask on the VMs to make them play nicely. The CPU mask seems to be in fairly wide use amongst the AMD community and I don't see any issues with using it.

To set the CPU mask I do the following:

- Reset the CPU mask to defaults (basically this removes all settings

- Go to level 80000001 and set EDX to the following

-

---

0--- -

---

-

---

-

---

-

---

-

---

-

---

After that, things seem to be fine.

Be aware that if you don't have EVC turned on right now, you'll need to do that. Well, I think you need to do that. I haven't tried this without EVC enabled. To enable EVC you'll need to have all VMs powered off. So plan for that.

Good luck.