VM migration from one vCenter to another

[DespicableYO]

Hi Guys,

We want to migrate our few VMs from one vCenter to another. Both the vCenter are located in separate organizations and have different SSOs and do not share the same storage.

We currently have VMware essential license and do not have a VMotion license. We don't have any issues in powering off the VM for the migration process.

I want to know if is this possible. If yes, then what is the best way to proceed?

[GeoPerkins]

Sorry to say, you'll need vSphere Enterprise Plus license in order to migrate between vCenters using vMotion.

You could, however, shutdown the VM, copy the vmdk folder (if the Datastore isn't already accessible to a host in both vCenters), then unregister the VM in old-ESXi host on on old-vCenter and re-register VM to new-ESXi host in new-vCenter.

Try this approach with a test VM to work out the exact steps for your version of ESXi and vCenter.

[DespicableYO]

Hi @GeoPerkins ,

Thanks for your response. I just need some more clarifications on the below points.

1) I could not understand the "if the Datastore isn't already accessible to a host in both vCenters". Can you please explain this a bit more?

2) I have a vCenter running in my lab with three hosts. So, today I removed one of the hosts in my existing vCenter, created a separate network in my lab, and installed a new vCenter server. After that, I tried to migrate the VM from my new vCenter to the old vCenter using the migration option available in VM. Then I selected the option "Cross vCenter server support" and without the vMotion license, the migration was successful. How did that happen without the enterprise license?

3) If we purchase a vMotion license for both vCenters. Can you please point to any guide on how I can do the migration with vMotion. Do I have to use fling?

[GeoPerkins]

1. Sorry for the confusion. Since this is a cluster question, I assume we're talking about SAN storage. An ESXi host could still have access to a SAN-based Datastore regardless of which vCenter that host resides in. So you could be connecting the Datastore to the host after it is moved to the new vCenter and then avoid copying the vmdk folder from one Datastore to another. 

2. I have been working with vCenters at different sites. I think I misspoke previously. A cross-site vCenter vMotion requires the EnterprisePlus license. You said it is a lab, so these are at the same site?

3. There is no "vMotion license". I assume we're talking vSphere 7. Standard, EnterprisePlus. Formerly, vSphere 6.5 had a non-Plus license with less capabilities, the Plus version gave cross-site vCenter vMotion. But with vSphere 7 the non-Plus license is longer available. Look here: edition-comparison 

P.S. I'm not up-to-date on vSphere 8 if that is what you are playing with.

[justaguyy]

Hi @GeoPerkins ,

1) The new site will be an independent site (similar to like if I want to transfer my VM to your location) with separate servers to host the new vCenter. So, can I switch off the VM in the old vCenter --> unregister --> copy the vmdk --> paste it in the new vCenter at the new site --> register? Will this work without an enterprise license?

2) I created a new vCenter setup in a separate network in my lab with a separate license.

[GeoPerkins]

Seems like that will work. If you have a lab, can you try it? Or create a test VM in your production environment and try it with the test VM.