how to migrate a RDM to different Storage from ESX 3.0 to ESX 3.5?

[unx_juls]

Hello Everyone

I like to find some one to help me with the following scenario:

We have 2 ESX version 3.0 connected to a FC Storage managed by a VC 2.0 so the objective is to migrate both ESX and Storage to the most recent version ESX 3.5 U3 and VC 2.5U3, but most of this VMs have a RAW area managed by a RDM in virtual mode. We can not get connected all the ESX to de Old and New storage (to use StorageVmotion) and we will using DataProtector to backup the VMFS to restore them in to the new VI3.

I have in mind the following migration plan, please let me know if I´m missing something

1. Shutdown all de VM on one ESX and backup all the VMFS with DataProtector
2. Create the new VMFS on the new VI
3. Restore all the VMFS contents previously backed up
4. Add the VM files to the inventory

All this looks well but I have the doubts:

What happen with the VM that have RDM?
How can I know if this is going to work?
How can I know if it is possible to edit the RDM file?

Please let me know if I am wrong or i can do another thing?

BR

JF

[Texiwill]

Hello,

What happen with the VM that have RDM?
How can I know if this is going to work?
How can I know if it is possible to edit the RDM file?

Please let me know if I am wrong or i can do another thing?

I recently had to move an RDM as well. I created a new RDM On the target array. Added this new RDM into the existing VM and did a disk to disk copy. Once that was completed, I removed the old RDM. You can achieve the same option by doing a backup of the contents of the original RDM then restoring it to the new RDM.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[unx_juls]

Hello Edward

Thks a lot, I gonna be doing this migration in the next weeks I hope this works if not I will going asking again!!!
BR
JF