Queries on migration of ESXi host from old VC to new VC.

[sg0133]

Hi All ,

I need to migrate a couple of ESXi hosts from old Vcenter to new Vcenter5.1. The old VC are of version 5.0 and 4.1 and the new VC is of version 5.1.
The ESXi hosts are running with ESXi version 4.1 and ESXi 5.0 respectively . The distributed virtual switch created in "new vCenter" server i wish to migrate the ESXi hosts networking to. IS this dvSwitch must have a version equal or lower to ESXi version running on ESXi host ??? (i.e dvSwitch 5.0 or lower must be used for ESXi 5.0 hosts, dvSwitch 4.1 or lower must be used for ESXi 4.1 hosts)

Is there any PowerCli script which i can modify and use in my current environment. Also please let me know if there is a gap in my procedure.

1. Disconnect the ESXi host from the old vCenter server old vCenter  The disconencted host and VM's running on the host will be shown as "disconnected" in the old old vCenter   

2. Connect the ESXi host to the desired cluster in the new vCenter server.

- Ensure you add the host directly into the cluster.
- Assign license key as required  new vCenter  The ESXi host should be added to the cluster on in the "new vCenter"   

3.  Add new ESXi host the "new dvSwitch"   

  
4.  Add uplinks to "new dvSwtich" on the ESXi host

- Move 1 "vmnic with VM network" VLANs to the correct dvUplink in the "new dvSwitch". 
- Move 1 of the "vmnic with Mgmt" VLANs to he correct dvUplink in the "new dvSwitch".

5.  Migrate VM Kernel adapters from "old dvSwitch" to the "new dvSwitch"

- Add  migrate existing virtual adpaters
- Select the correct management.
- Select the correct vmotion portgroups.

6.  For each running VM running on the ESXi host. Perform the following.

-Edit the VM's "Network Adapter" and connect it to the correct "Network Label"

7.  Put ESXi host in maitainence mode.DRS should automatically vMotion all running VM's off the ESXi host so that at later part we can upgrade the ESXi version to the latest.

8.  Add remaining vmnic uplinks to "new dvSwtich" on the ESXi host

- Move remaining "vmnic with VM network" VLANs to the correct dvUplink in the "new dvSwitch".
- Move remaining "vmnic with Mgmt" VLANs to he correct dvUplink in the "new dvSwitch".     

9.  Remove "old dvSwitch" from ESXi host.

- Remove the "old dvSwitch" from the ESXi host. 

10.  Remove "ESXi host from old vCenter"

- Remove the disconnected ESXi host in the old vCenter .The action will clean up the configuraiton on the old vCenter.
- Remove the ESXi host and its running VM's from the inventory
- Remove the ESXi host from the "old dvSwitch".

Thanks in Advance

Regards

sg0133

[admin]

- First I would recommend migrating your hosts from dvswitch to vswitch on old vcenters. - Once done, create the same dvswitch on your new vcenters with the latest dvswitch versions. - Remove the existing hosts from old vCenters. - Add it back to your new vCenter. - Migrate your hosts to dvswitch... Done...

[sg0133]

But if i move the esxi hosts from dvSwitch to vSwitch will there be any downtime for the VMs. I required to do this migration online.

[admin]

I would recommend install your vCenter 5.1 pointing to your existing vcenter database Do ensure you backup your db.. Once the vcenter is installed, you will notice your vcenter 4.1 esxi hosts in vCenter 5.1 inventory.

[sg0133]

Hi Akash ,

This step is good, but we have already some esxi servers built on the new VC. Moreover the backend db is different in the old & new VC. So don't know whether it is possible or not.

Regards

sg