I need to do some reading about it, because I haven't yet upgraded to 3.5 (Update 2), but perhaps someone can assist with some initial questions:
1. Release notes state that KB article 1004094 applies in that a given virtual disk MUST be set to 'Persistent' mode and cannot be Independent for Storage Vmotion to work. Does that apply to 3.5 'Update 2' specifically?
No, this is for all versions of ESX 3.x. You can't make a snapshot unless it's in persistent, which is how Svmotion functions.
2. If I have to change certain VMs accordingly (I have some that need to use Independent/persistent for products like Vizioncore Ranger to ignore certain disks while backing up others such as the main/OS vmdk, I guess I'll have to shut those down, change the disk type, then power up the VM and then do the Storage Vmotion, correct?
Yes. That's correct, they need to be changed independently.
3. I have a few 'file server' VMs, which usually have a regular VMDK (persistent) for the OS, and a fairly big (500GB to 850GB in some cases) raw device mapping, configured as Independent Persistent, but in VIRTUAL compatibility mode. What will I have to do go use Storage Vmotion on those?
I don't think svmotion can be used on raw device maps.
4. I read something about there being a separate CLI for Storage Vmotion... from the VMworld Europe 2008 conference. Is that old/dated and it's now all built into the VIC gui? I have already upgraded to VC 2.5 Update 3 and the new VIC client as well...
The CLI still works, but the GUI isn't here yet. Although there is a 3rd party sVmotion interface, but it's basically a wrapper for the CLI, with a remedial GUI front end. You can search for it.
