Manage/Consolidate multiple VCSA

[andvm]

Hi,

Have a VCSA 6.7 (Embedded PSC and on sphere.local SSO) using dvSwitches and I am considering to consolidate it to another VCSA on 7.0 (Embedded PSC and on sphere.local SSO, also using dvSwitches). Guess this will not be a trivial task since Distributed Switches are used.

Other option is to manage both of the VCSA via a single interface, so I would have both VCSA listed.

So basically am considering both options (manage them together from single interface or migrating hosts to the VCSA 7.0) - Can you share any thoughts or process to achieve either?

Thanks

[Nawals]

As I understand, you are looking for consolidate multiple VCSA vCenter with one. Means you want to manage both vCenter hosts and VMs from single vCenter console. You need to migrate the hosts and vms to another vCenter which you are looking. following way you can achieve it.

1. First you have to create standard vSwitch and VM port groups

2. Second, remove one uplink from dvswitch and added to the vSwitch.

3. Migrate the vms from dvswitch port group to standard port groups

4. validate the vms post migration

5. Now you can move management and vmotion from dvswitch to standard as you can follow 1and 2 steps

6. once everything on standard switch now you are ready to remove the hosts and added to target vCenter.

7. On target vCenter you can create new dvswitch and port groups and again you can follow above steps to migrate vms to dvswitch port groups

Note: If you consolidate vCenter you can save the license cost.

[andvm]

Management and vMotion already on Standard Switch so that is one less thing to do.

So the main task would first be to create the Standard Switches and Portgroups (identical naming/settings) )on all Hosts (to match the current Distributed Switches/Portgroups used for VM traffic and vSAN)

Then migrate one uplink from Distributed Switch to respective newly created Standard Switches per host. Assume this would not cause any impact/downtime to running VM's.

Questions here:

1. think the VM's will still be using the the Distributed Switch as they will need to be migrated to the Standard Switches port groups right?
2. do I need to migrate the VM's to the Standard Switches port groups at this stage once one uplink has been migrated?
3. what about the second uplink, when should I migrate it (at the same time as migrating the VM's or after)?

Does it changes anything if the Distributed Switch is set with a LAG for VM traffic?

Thanks

[Nawals]

Okay. You have to follow above steps. There will be no impact if you do correctly.

1. think the VM's will still be using the the Distributed Switch as they will need to be migrated to the Standard Switches port groups right? Yes, until not migrated vms to standard switch it will be connected with dvswitch.
2. do I need to migrate the VM's to the Standard Switches port groups at this stage once one uplink has been migrated?  Yes, You have to remove one uplink from dvswitch and add it to standard vswitch. Then you can start to migrate the vms to standard switch.
3. what about the second uplink, when should I migrate it (at the same time as migrating the VM's or after)? No.Once you migrated all vms to standard switch, you can remove second uplink and added to standard switch.

Also, Make sure you can check the security policy setting on existing dvswitch, same you can set on standard switch/dvswitch.

About DVS LAG if you’re are using you can configure it as it have on existing. Go with this link about DVS LACP/LAG https://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2017/11/moving-esxi-hosts-with-lacplag-between-vcenter-servers.html

[Lalegre]

Hey andvm​

Be extremely careful with the LAG as if you disconnect one uplink from the DVS and try to move it to the VSS the connectivity will start flapping and you will lose connectivity on all the services that are on DVS Portgroups using LAG.

As you mentioned before, you are using already Management and vMotion in VSS so I suggest to use those uplinks and do not modify any LAG. Create the needed portgroups on the VSS with the correct VLAN IDs for the Virtual Machines.

Regarding vSAN you need to be extremely careful there because the migration of the VMkernel has a quick cut in the connectivity so I recommend you to do this one host at the time and not in peak hours. Also when doing the move of the vSAN VMkernel you should do it with the Host in Maintenance mode to ensure no collaboration to the vSAN Datastore, once you migrated the VMkernel you can exit the Host from Maintenance Mode, migrate some VMs to that ESXi and then move the VMs to the VSS Portgroups.

If you still unsure with all steps to be performed just let me know so I can go deeper with the details.