Is it possible to move VM between NFS/iSCSI data store to FC Datastore?

[nkv]

Hello Experts,

We have old VMware platform with ESXi 5.5 and vCenter 5.5 connected with iSCS and NFS LUNs. Our new platform (ESXi 6 and vCenter 6.5) is FC based LUNs.

Is it possible to move VMs between the two platforms using storage vMotion without having old and new storage connected to each other?

Plan is to present the LUNS from old storage to new ESXi platform and do storage vMotion between old data store and new data store.

Please guide

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

Is it possible to move VMs between the two platforms using storage vMotion without having old and new storage connected to each other?

Yes, it is, provided that 5.5 hosts and 6.5 hosts are joined to the same vCenter.

Or

Plan is to present the LUNS from old storage to new ESXi platform and do storage vMotion between old data store and new data store.

As long as hosts can see both storage devices this also works.

[lukearntz]

If the two environments are completely separate besides the storage this process should work.  I've done it in the past but I'd test it to verify it works for you.

1. Storage vmotion the vm(s) to the new storage.
2. Power the VM off.
3. Remove the VM from inventory on the old vCenter.
4. Add VM to inventory of the new vCenter.
5. Power VM on.
   1. You may need to answer a question about whether you moved or copied the vm before it will power own. Choose move.
6. You may need to manually set the network portgroups, but otherwise the vm should be working properly.
7. Verify applications.

It's even easier if you use a "swing host" because you can move as many vms as you can fit on the host at once. That process has a few extra steps but is pretty similar. The nice thing there is you can do it without powering the VMs off.

Good luck!