Storage vMotion between ESXi 3.5 and ESXi 6.1 - Storage v5000 and EMC 300

[nkv]

Hello Experts,

We have 2 data center where one data center has ESXi 6.1 with v5000 storage and another data center with ESXi 3.5 connected to EMC Storage.

We need to move virtual machine from EMC storage to v5030.

Is Storage vMotion possible in these scenarios?

What connectivity we will need to make this happen? between storage?

Both the storage are not connected to each other

What are the possible options we have?

Please help

[rcporto]

You need only move the virtual machines from EMC to IBM V5030? Or you also want move virtual machines from ESXi 3.5 to ESXi 6.x?

Anyway, the easiest way to move the virtual machines from the EMC to IBM V5030, without change the hosts, is to map an IBM V5030 volume to your old ESXi 3.5 hosts, create a VMFS3 datastore and use Storage vMotion to migrate virtual machines between datastores.

[nkv]

Thanks Richard. Appreciated.

[nkv]

Hello Richard,

small correction, old host is 5.1 version

What connectivity will be requird between v5000 and EMC 300 storage? Is it not needed?

Can you point out simple steps to move VM from EMC 300 storage and esxi 5.1 to v5000 and esxi 6.1 host

[rcporto]

What connectivity will be requird between v5000 and EMC 300 storage? Is it not needed?

No connectivity need between storages, only connectivity between the new hosts and the old storage.

Can you point out simple steps to move VM from EMC 300 storage and esxi 5.1 to v5000 and esxi 6.1 host

Here are high level steps to move virtual machines from old storage/host to the new one:

1) map the EMC volumes where old virtual machines are running to the new host and make sure the datastore is recognized by the new hosts;

2) shutdown the virtual machine on the old hosts, take note of the folder where the virtual machine is stored and remove the virtual machine from inventory (not delete from the disk);

3) on the new vCenter/host, browse the old datastore, locate the .vmx file, right click that file and select the option Add to Inventory, and then Power On the virtual machine on the new vCenter/host;

4) migrate the virtual machine from the old datastore to the new datastore using the Storage vMotion.

[nkv]

Thanks Richard. Much appreciated.

I guess the virtual machine will need access to subnets on the target ESXi host also.

Can the old and new esxi host be on different network subnet??

If they are on different network subnet what option we have to make this work between these 2 data center?