Change IP Address o f the VCenter Server

[tomtom1]

This is my first post .

Hi, I need to change the IP Address of the VC Server. My VC server is part of the domain. It is VC 2.5 U2. I have also VDI Configured in my environment. Can, I just changer the IP Address and think DNS will take care of the rest of the issues OR do I need to do a fresh installation of VC Server ?

This is a big environment of more than 200 VMs.

Thanks

Tom

[Troy_Clavell]

have a look at this KB article, it may be useful

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/5850444

[tomtom1]

In that kb at the last they have mentioned

Note: If the IP address of the new VirtualCenter Server has changed your ESX hosts must be made aware of that change, otherwise the ESX hosts continue to send their heartbeats to the original IP address of VirtualCenter and appear as Not Responding. For more information, see Verifying the VirtualCenter Managed IP Address (1008030). To correct this situation:

# Log in as root to each ESX host using an SSH client.

# Use a text editor to change the IP address inside the <serverIp>xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx</serverIp> tags the following file:

/etc/opt/vmware/vpxa/vpxa.cfg (VirtualCenter 2.5.x)
/etc/vmware/vpxa.cfg (VirtualCenter 2.0.x).

# Save your changes and exit.

# Restart the management agents. For more information, see {font:Arial}{size:2}Restarting the Management agents on an ESX Server (1003490){size}{font}.

# Repeat for all ESX hosts connected to the VirtualCenter Server.</div>

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Rather than doing this can, I first remove all the ESX Server from the VC server. Change the IP Address of the VC Server and add each ESX Server back to the VC Server ?

Will this have any adverse effect on the permission set to the folders in my VC server?

Will this have any adverse impact on my VDI ?

Thanks

[Troy_Clavell]

I would say your method would work, but not if you are using VMware View. The reason is if you disconnect and remove the hosts the folder structure the View depends on to find all your guests will be messed up. All your guest when you connect your host back to vCenter will go into the "Discovered Virtual Machines Folder and View will not work.

You need to keep a consistent folder structure in your Virtual Machines and Templates View. So, I would advise to follow the KB recommendations.

[tomtom1]

I am using VDI 2.1. So, in that case will there be a problem ? I am concerned about VDI. This change should not have impact on those VMs.

Thanks

[Troy_Clavell]

yes, the disconnect and remove, then connect back will have the same impact on VDM

[tomtom1]

Sorry, I was not clear. I want to know will this changing of IP Address of VC server will have any negative impact on the VDI ?

I will follow the kb that you provided earlier to the letter "T". But no where there is any mention about VDI. So, I am bit worried.

Thanks

[Troy_Clavell]

my only concern is that the time it will take for DNS to update it's records. You may want to create a local host file on your VDM servers with the name and IP of the vCenter Server until DNS is updated.

Since you are using VDM, you don't have to worry about linked clones and Orchestrator. I think if name resolution is ok, you should not have any issues.

One thing is that if there is an impact on VDM it will only be that you cannot provision new VM's, but if you have your broker setup as direct connect, no guests will be impacted by the change.

[tomtom1]

I will let you all know how did the update go. This will be very helpful to everybody in the community.

Thanks

Tom