Move VCenter from local datastore to SAN without SVmotion

[Sjowhan]

Question:

I have 2 different VMWare environments; 1 production, 1 development.

Production has a Essentials Plus license (3 hosts&vcenter, host vmotion), Vcenter is a Linux appliance, located on a local drive of one of the hosts. Want to move it to our SAN (with or without shutting it down).

Development has a Essentials license (3 hosts&vcenter without vmotion), Windows VCenter. Located on local&nas, but need to move it to a SAN (and, with or without shutting down).

What is the best way to accomplish these tasks? Thought (in case of Linux appliance) something with shutting down > copy folder from datastore > local drive > san..

But maybe there are better ways to run this task.

Thanks in advance.

[admin]

Is there any perticular reason that you dont want to do sVMotion?

Any way if you are ok to shut down these VM's for some time then convert your VC VM's to ovf template and redeploy them to SAN. In this way you will be able to move both of your VC's to SAN without any issue.

Thanks,

DJ

[rcporto]

Did you tried enhanced vMotion using the vSphere Web Client ? Not 100% if it will works without Storage vMotion license, since this use some code of Storage vMotion, but try and let me know.

Take a look here for additional information: http://www.vladan.fr/vmware-enhanced-vmotion/

[Sjowhan]

Why converting? Is moving from datastore > local drive > san not faster than converting?

What are the con's/pro's?

[Sjowhan]

Have tried it, but unfortunately, after a unsolved problem, I haven't setup EVC. So think eVmotion doesn't work either.

Thanks for replying..

[admin]

Both way it is possible, converting would be more convenient. If something goes wrong you will have original VM.

Thanks,

DJ

[vThinkBeyondVM]

See if below steps can help you.

below steps can be tried from VI client:

-Say You have a VM with 2 VMDKs :Both are on same DS.  Now you want to move one of the VMDKs to other datastore. (You can keep VM files on the same datastore)

1. Power off the VM.

2. Delete snapshots

3. Go to datastore where VMDK to be moved is there.

4. Right click the VMDK & click MOVE ( Copy may not work across datastores from VI client)

5. select the other datastore where you want to keep that VMDK. Wait till the VMDK is moved.

6. Edit seetings>>>Click on VMDK that was moved (it will have earlier VMDK PATH, hence now VM may not power on)>>Remove that VMDK>>OK

7. Again edit settings >>Click add>> hard disk >>select existing virtual disk >>select the VMDK that was moved earlier in step 5. >>OK (This will update the new VMDK path to VM)

8. Now you should be able to power on the VM.

We can move entire VMFiles useing this method.

Above steps can be done from VI client connected to vCenter or just ESXi host.

Here is another VMware user used similar steps and it worked fine for him :ESXi 5.5 - Move primary VMDK file only to different datastore?