How To Remove Hosts From Cluster in vCenter

[Carlos201110141]

We have a VMware vCenter 5.5 license that's about to expire and while we re-new the license for vCenter, I need to take all VM's that are associated w/ a cluster called:

Orlando (site) > Staging (cluster) > 10.1.1.13 (host) > testbox1 (vm)

I need to remove the (host) from the (cluster) above. I can do this by entering 'Maintenance Mode' which then moves the (vm) to another host in the Staging (cluster). Problem is when I exit 'Maintenance Mode', the (cluster) is placed back into Staging & the VM is moved back to Staging (cluster) > 10.1.1.13 (host). This is NOT what I want. I want to independently remove all hosts from the Staging (clutser) in vCenter before my vCenter license expires.

Can anyone please explain or help me do this?

Thanks in advanced.

[HariRajan · Accepted solution]

Hi Carlos ,

Hope you are using web client .

Basically the question is , you need to remove a  host from a cluster having DRS and HA.  For removing a HOST

Put the HOST in to maintenance mode  - > verify all the VM's are successfully moved to another HOST ,  then right click and disconnect , finally right click and remove .

if you need to retain the VM in same physical host and you having standard switch configured properly.

Right click the cluster and DRS recommendation opt for manual. and then maintenance mode , then right click and disconnect , finally right click and remove.

hope this helps you .

[Carlos201110141]

That was perfect! I didn't think to 'disconnect' the host and wasn't sure exactly what that did.

Thank you!