Which option to choose when adding an existing host

[SentiBlue]

Hey experts out there, I need your advice please:

I have a cluster already managed by a vCenter Server for Windows but the vCenter is broken so I installed a replacement VCSA

On the new VCSA, I created a new empty cluster and tried to add the hosts to this new cluster.

Coming to the last part of it I was asked  a question about Resource Pool

Choose where to place this host's virtual machines

- Put all of this host's virtual machines in the cluster's root resource pool. Resource pools currently present on the host will be deleted.

- Create a new resource pool for this host's virtual machines and resource pools. This preserves the host's current resource pool hierarchy.

I do want to preserve the VMs, network configs, storage connections, data stores, and any other assets existing on the host.

I assume the term "Resource Pool" means those things that I need to keep, but is there anything else?

What option should I choose?

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

You want the first option. The cluster root resource pool is the cluster itself.

[SentiBlue]

Thanks Dahnissov!!!

I thought so too but an answer came from VMware support told me to chose 2nd option.

I did that and it didn't recreate the previous cluster. Instead it simple places the host into the new cluster and put all VMs under "Grafted from <hostname>" folder.

I guess this is fine too. I just have to redefine the folders and move the VMs around.

Thanks as always for your awesomely quick responses!

[daphnissov]

When you bring hosts over from another vCenter, you always have to recreate folders and recategorize VMs in folders. This is because folders are defined inside the vCenter and not at the host level. And this behavior doesn't have anything to do with resource pools.

[SentiBlue]

Thanks for that explanation!!

Just to confirm... regardless which choice was made, no VMs will be lost from the host right?

It would be great if I could pick the other option and not having to recreate the cluster configurations itself.

[daphnissov]

No VMs get "lost" if you move a host to another vCenter.

[SentiBlue]

Thank you sir!

[SentiBlue]

Just wanted to let you know that I got another 2 clusters into the new VCSA using the option you advised and it worked flawlessly. Thanks again!