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baber
Expert
Expert

can i use EVC for migrate vms without downtime

Dear all

Hi

i have 2 HP server

Server1=  HP-DL380G8  (Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2650 0 @ 2.00GHz) with esxi 5.5

Server2 = HP-DL580G10 (Intel Xeon-Platinum 8176M (2.1GHz/28-core/165W)  with esxi 6.7

and they are single hosts now i want put them in one vcenter

2 question:

1- how can i sure that 2 kind of servers with different cpu support same EVC mode?

2-can i migrate vms from DL380G8 to DL580G10 without down time ?

i have attached 2 pic from vmware evc compatibality but actually could not understand which symptom show these servers can reside in EVC with eachother

BR

BAbak

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a_p_
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Both CPUs support Sandy-Bridge as their highest common EVC mode, so it's basically possible to run them in an EVC enabled cluster, and use vMotion/DRS.

Although it might be possible to live migrate (vMotion) VMs that were powered on on the DL380p host to the other host, you will need to shut down the VM's on the DL580Gen10 host to be able to add it to the EVC enabled cluster,due to the exposed CPU features which are not available in Sandy-Bridge mode.

Please note that in order to manage the hosts in a vCenter 6.7 environment, you first need to upgrade the DL380p host, because ESXi 5.5 is not supported by vCenter 6.7.

André

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baber
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Expert

Thanks. excuse me

i have 2 question :

1 - is that necessary use same ESXI version hosts for put in EVC mode ?

2-There is not any vms on my DL580 G10 server and i want migrate vms from DL380 to DL580

are these steps correct ?

2-1- config cluster and enable EVC and select  Sandy-Bridge    

2-2- add esxi hosts dl380 G8 and DL580 G10 to my cluster without power off vms on DL380-G8

2-3- migrate vms from DL380 G8 to DL580-G10 without downtime

BR

Babak

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a_p_
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No you can have different ESXi versions in the same cluster, although best practice is to have the same one.

The steps are basically ok, you should even be able to enable EVC with the DL380p Gen8 host already in the cluster. However, keep in mind that the DL380p host needs to be upgraded prior to being able to add it to vCenter a Server 6.7 environment.

The only way that I can think of that will work without downtime, is to reinstall the Gen10 host with ESXi 6.5, and setup a vCenter 6.5 environment (which supporte ESXi 5.5).

As a side note: Please consider upgrading the ESXi host's firmware, and BIOS to the latest ones which contain the current Intel-Microcode. Otherwise EVC may not allow you to add the hosts to the cluster.

André

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baber
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Expert

thanks

but i want to sure because this is my production environment

no i f i install vcenter 6.5 and enable EVC in cluster and then select sandy bridge

is that possible add to esxi hosts (HP DL380p -G8 and hp DL580p-G10 ) to cluster without power off vms ?

and then migrate them on DL380 -G10 without power off vms ?

BR

Babak

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a_p_
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If a hosts meets the requirements (CPU features) for the selected EVC mode, and none of the powered on VMs on this host has CPU features presented which are not supported by that EVC level, you can add a host to an EVC enabeled cluster. In case the new EVC enabled cluster refuses to allow the DL380p host to be added to it (due to missing Microcode updates), it may work to only add the DL580 host to that EVC enabled (Sandy-Bridge) cluster, and migrate the VM's to the DL580.

In any case, there's usually no risk involved, because EVC/vMotion checks the target host's compatibility before allowing a migration.

André

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baber
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i am really confused .

according to vmware EVC compatibality matrix in previous post i can put DL30p-G8 and DL580-G10 in a one cluster with evc mode enable (sandy bridge)

is that possible or maybe not work ?

BR

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a_p_
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As mentioned before, Sandy-Bridge is the common EVC baseline for both CPU models.

However, it's unfortunately not always that easy, especially with the recent Intel-Microcode updates, and - in your case - with the different ESXi versions, which cannot run in the same vCenter Server environment.


André

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baber
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1- As you mentioned earlier if i use vcsa 6.5 which can support esxi 5.5, with consider all of these can reside on one cluster both of them with sandy bridge mode without down time?

other question :

2- suppose i have a cluster that evc is enable on that now if i want add a new host to this cluster had to power off vms and then add it ?

BR

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a_p_
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1 - As you mentioned earlier if i use vcsa 6.5 which can support esxi 5.5, with consider all of these can reside on one cluster both of them with sandy bridge mode without down time?

Usually that's not an issue. I had issues with adding hosts to clusters lately due to the Microcode upgrades, that's why I mentioned it.

2- suppose i have a cluster that evc is enable on that now if i want add a new host to this cluster had to power off vms and then add it ?

It depends. Any powered on VMs on that host with more features presented to them than the EVC basline will allow, need to be shut down.

André

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