vSphere HA and VM restart priority

[mikew123]

Hello,

I read this post (https://www.brianjgraf.com/2016/10/17/vsphere-6-5-vsphere-ha-whats-new-part-4-vm-restart-priorities/ ). I understand that I can control VM restart orders.

I also read this post (https://ha.yellow-bricks.com/restarting_virtual_machines.html ), it mentions:

Prioritization is done by each host and not globally. Each host that has been requested to initiate restart attempts will attempt to restart all top priority virtual machines before attempting to start any other virtual machines.

So, it's the host that prioritize the VMs which will be restarted on that host. For example, three VMs will be restarted on three hosts (one VM per host), then no priorities among the three VMs at all. Is that true?

Thanks

Mike

[daphnissov]

It means that VMs that have failed will attempt to be restarted--regardless of the host which starts them--in an order of precedence beginning with top priority VMs. All high-priority VMs on that host that failed will attempt to be restarted first followed on down the line. So each host makes the priorities but still according to the restart level.

[mikew123]

"each host makes the priorities but still according to the restart level"

So, a host can only evaluate priorities among the VMs which will be started on that host, right?

For my example, I hope VMs are started in order of VM1, VM2, VM3... But if the three VMs are started on three host (one per host), there will be no way to guarantee that order, right?

[daphnissov]

What you're describing is with the orchestrated restart feature, not general HA restart priorities. In order to do what you what, which can be done, you must use the orchestrated restarts ability and set these levels.

[mikew123]

“orchestrated restarts ability” means SRM?

[daphnissov]

No, means orchestrated restarts in vphere 6.5.

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

See my blog here.

[mikew123]

thank you. This is very helpful.