Does vmotion traffic goes to virtual center? vmotion is slow

[vhii81]

HI there

i have this problem with vmotion being slow. it is going through from one esx host to another but they are both in the same LAN.

However, the VC where i initiate the vmotion is across the link to another LAN.

So will that affect network performance? Does it go all the way to VC and back here?

Thanks

[AndreTheGiant]

The vmotion's vmkernel interfaces (must) be in the same network.

And you must have a shared storage between ESXs.

Why do you have a ESX with another network?

Andre

[vhii81]

Sorry i mean the vmotion switches are all in the same network e.g. 192.168.100.x

What i meant was i connect to the virtual centre (e.g. IP of 10.x.x.x) and initiate a vmotion between esx host 1 (e.g. 192.168.101.1) and esx host 2 (192.168.101.2)

and the vmotion is really slow

im just choosing arbitrary IP add from the air just for example purpose.

[AndreTheGiant]

vmkping between each VMotion interface is fine?

Each VMotion upling interface is working at 1Gbps?

How is slow? How does it takes to move a 1 GB RAM VM?

Andre

[vhii81]

Yup the vmotion switch says its working at Full 1000MBps

We tried vmotion a 200GB server and it was taking a whole day to do it

Do you think the lan traffic is causing interference ? does it go back to Virtual centre at all?

Thanks

[AndreTheGiant]

Do you think the lan traffic is causing interference ?

Can you try to isolate the VMotion traffic?

Maybe using VLAN and dedicated NICs?

does it go back to Virtual centre at all?

Only the initialization of the process.

How does it take for a 1 GB RAM (or similar) VM?

Andre

[Texiwill]

Hello,

i have this problem with vmotion being slow. it is going through from one esx host to another but they are both in the same LAN.

vMotion or Storage vMotion?

However, the VC where i initiate the vmotion is across the link to another LAN.

VC talks to ESX via the Service Console port NOT the vMotion port.

So will that affect network performance? Does it go all the way to VC and back here?

vMotion should be on a dedicated network/VLAN used ONLY by vMotion and only contain ESX host's vmotion pNIC and no other hosts or devices.

If we are talking about Storage vMotion, that takes place entirely within the Host. SVMotion is initiated via the SC link and not the vMotion link.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, Virtualization Practice Analyst[/url]
Now Available: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

[Wimo]

" We tried vmotion a 200GB server and it was taking a whole day to do it"

The size of the virtual disks is irrelevant - what is transferred by VMotion is the memory (hence the question of how long does it take for a 1 GB RAM VM).

If you are talking about a cold migration (VM is shut down AND you are moving to a different datastore), that goes over the Service Console connection. I'm not sure about Storage VMotion.

[vhii81]

Oh i didn't know it goes through service console. That's what they did

i think datastore is changed.

will using vmware converter on the physical machine directly to the esx host be better?

[Texiwill]

Oh i didn't know it goes through service console. That's what they did

i think datastore is changed.

Then that was a Storage VMotion or Cold Migration, yes that can take a while depending on how loaded your host and IO subsystem is.

will using vmware converter on the physical machine directly to the esx host be better?

Not really as it also uses teh Service Console. All writes to a VMFS through the SC are throttled so that VMs get most of the Disk IO. 200GBs in over a day however is a bit much. I would consider the storage technology you are using. If it is 1Gb iSCSI then yes it could take a while.

I generally get pretty good throughput but I am now using 4Gb FC-SAN, what storage is involved?

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, Virtualization Practice Analyst[/url]
Now Available: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing the Virtual Environment'[/url]
Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]
[url=http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Blog_Roll]SearchVMware Pro[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|Top Virtualization Security Links[/url]|Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]

[vhii81]

Im not sure..ill have to check with the SAN guys..

If i use VCBmounter to take a copy of the vm and then restore it, will that be any fasteR??

?:|