Can you move a host from one vCenter to another without shutting down the vm guests?

[jmhall28]

Okay here's the deal.  Just started a new job and the previous admin did not install all the features for the vCenter 5.1 nor did he record the SSO password for the admin account.  So, instead of beating my head against the wall, I decided to create a new vCenter 5.5.  Now to remove a host from the old vCenter we have to do the following

1. Shutdown the vm guests on that host

2.  Put the host in maintenance mode

However, I was wondering, is there another way? 

[jandraux]

From what I see from your setup, if you just want to simply transfer the ESXi hosts to another vCenter (which manages them) you can always just remove them in the old vCenter 5.1 - The host dont need to be shutdown/maintenance mode

Login to your vCenter 5.5, add the host there,. Once it is successfully you should be able to see the VMs on the added host there in your vCenter. Of course, don't forget the use the local(root) credentials of the ESXi hosts when adding to your vCenter 5.5

[bayupw]

Hi

You don't need to power off the VMs.

If you are using VDS on your old vCenter 5.1, you will need to follow this procedure: VMware KB: Moving an ESX/ESXi host with vDS from one vCenter Server to another

For VDS, you can export the old config from old vCenter and import it to new vCenter as described in this KB article: VMware KB: Exporting/importing/restoring Distributed Switch configs using vSphere Web client

For other configs there is no official tools, but there is a free tools (no support) here InventorySnapshot - VMware Labs

As per VMware Product Interoperability Matrixes ESX/ESXi 5.1 is compatible with vCenter 5.5, so you can add the 5.1 hosts to vCenter 5.5. Input the existing vSphere 5.1 licenses to the vCenter 5.5.

For adding existing 5.1 hosts to vCenter 5.5 (moving the hosts) you can follow this procedure: VMware KB: Moving a managed ESXi/ESX host from one VirtualCenter Server/vCenter Server to another Vi...