VMware Cloud Community
rudybrewster
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Moving VM's datastores from local storage to SAN

Hi

I have a few VMs which need to be moved onto our SAN, they are on a stand alone ESX 3.5 server.

It seems the easiest way to do this would be to:

1. Shut down the VMs.

2. Copy and paste all their configuration files onto the SAN datastore.

3. Right click on the vmx files, add them to the ESX cluster.

4. Create a new ID when it asks.

5. Power them up and let them run.

Am I missing any tricks here? This way, I still have the original VMs to go back to if something fails - they'll have a new ID created, and if all goes wrong I can just shut them down and power on the old ones.

Any help/advice appreciated as these (as always) are important servers to keep running properly!

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
AWo
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

rudybrewster schrieb:

Thnaks for the replies, I'll dish out some points in a bit.

The reason I want to do it with a copy/paste is to keep the original files untouched, if I vMotion them, I won't have the originals spearate will I?

The stand alone ESX server is a different model etc to the cluster, so I don't think I can add it in?

Bascially I need to be 100% sure I can get these servers back if anything happened on the copy - and I thin ,my method does that?

Yes, when you svMotion them, you'll move them.

You can add any model of a server to a cluster. What might not work is to vMotion a guest from one host to another if the CPU's don't match.

If you want to keep the original files, copy them.

AWo

vExpert 2009/10/11 [:o]===[o:] [: ]o=o[ :] = Save forests! rent firewood! =

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
7 Replies
logiboy123
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

Your logic is sound and your steps will definitely work.

However firstly I would try to bring the stand alone ESX server into my managed environment, shut down the VM's and do a cold migration. Cold migrations use the management network to transmit data, not the VMotion network, so as long as you have connectivity it will work fine.

If you have to many hosts in your environment currently you could temporarily remove one host and then bring in the stand alone for as long as it takes to export the VM's.

AWo
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

If you have a svMotion license you can move them online.

AWo

vExpert 2009/10/11 [:o]===[o:] [: ]o=o[ :] = Save forests! rent firewood! =
logiboy123
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

Can you storage VMotoin a VM off local attached disk to shared storage?

Obivously you cannot go from shared to local, but I wasn't aware local to shared was possible.

Reply
0 Kudos
rudybrewster
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Thnaks for the replies, I'll dish out some points in a bit.

The reason I want to do it with a copy/paste is to keep the original files untouched, if I vMotion them, I won't have the originals spearate will I?

The stand alone ESX server is a different model etc to the cluster, so I don't think I can add it in?

Bascially I need to be 100% sure I can get these servers back if anything happened on the copy - and I thin ,my method does that?

Reply
0 Kudos
AWo
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

Yes, that is possible in both ways.

AWo

vExpert 2009/10/11 [:o]===[o:] [: ]o=o[ :] = Save forests! rent firewood! =
Reply
0 Kudos
AWo
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

rudybrewster schrieb:

Thnaks for the replies, I'll dish out some points in a bit.

The reason I want to do it with a copy/paste is to keep the original files untouched, if I vMotion them, I won't have the originals spearate will I?

The stand alone ESX server is a different model etc to the cluster, so I don't think I can add it in?

Bascially I need to be 100% sure I can get these servers back if anything happened on the copy - and I thin ,my method does that?

Yes, when you svMotion them, you'll move them.

You can add any model of a server to a cluster. What might not work is to vMotion a guest from one host to another if the CPU's don't match.

If you want to keep the original files, copy them.

AWo

vExpert 2009/10/11 [:o]===[o:] [: ]o=o[ :] = Save forests! rent firewood! =
Reply
0 Kudos
Yattong
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

Hey,

You've got quite a few options really...

svMotion, like the other guys say will be straight forward, if it fails in between moving, its not a problem as the originals do not get removed until completion

Cloning? You could live clone the machines over... no need to switch vm's off.

(Both above will need the stand alone ESX server to be added to the vCenter.)

and of course your idea of copy and paste.

All will work, just up to you on what you decide really.

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points ~y
Reply
0 Kudos