move-vm thinks I'm trying to migrate to a different vCenter

[kwg66]

Hi Folks - amateur scripter here - 

I created a simple script to evacuate our hosts licensed with standard licensing without DRS capability.   

After connecting to vCenter, it is as follows:

$vccluster = Read-Host "Input the cluster name at the prompt"

$VMhost = Read-Host "Input the vSphere host to evacuate"

$esx = Get-VMHost -Location $vccluster | Get-Random

$VM = Get-VM -Location $VMhost

Move-VM -VM $VM -Destination $esx

This script works to move all VMs, even powered off, to other hosts in the cluster after typing in the cluster and host to evacuate. 

Oddly, for every VM that resides on the host the following error is generated:

Move-VM : 2/26/2024 4:18:41 PM Move-VM When migrating a VM to a different vCenter Server both Destination and Datastore need to be specified. No other destination types but VMHost/Resource Pool and Datastore are supported for Cross vCenter vMotion

At C:\Users\kwg\Desktop\evacuation_test_2.ps1:12 char:1

+ Move-VM -VM $VM -Destination $esx

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Move-VM], VimException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_VmHostServiceImpl_CheckMoveVmParameters_BothDestinationAndStorageRequiredForXVCVmotion,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.MoveVM

Can someone shed light on why I am seeing this error despite the script working?   Also, is it possible to change the $VM parameter to only include powered on VMs?  

Thanks

[LucD · Accepted solution]

Could it be that you have more than 1 vCenter connection open?
Check what it says in $global:defaultVIServers

[kwg66]

Apparently that was it, I don't recall trying to connect to any other VCenter.  I am forced to re-authenticate each time i connect even when I don't disconnect but that I believe has to do with the appliance - https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2050701.  

I added in the code I need to only migrate powered on VMs.   

$VM = (Get-VM -Location $VMhost).where{$_.PowerState -eq 'PoweredOn'} 

Thanks