How to move VirtualCenter to another server

[olliec]

Hello,

I have to move my installation to another server (powerful one) but I'm stuck in the part with the license file.

Everything is fine untill I try to connect my ESX server. I get this messages

Type Time Description

error 18/07/2007 16:47:55 A required license VirtualCenter Management Server is not reserved

error 18/07/2007 16:46:45 A required license VirtualCenter Management Server is not reserved

error 18/07/2007 16:40:39 A required license VirtualCenter Management Server is not reserved

info 18/07/2007 16:36:24 License server 27000@localhost is available

error 18/07/2007 16:31:24 Connection failed for isoapp209.elia.t in Elia: Not enough CPU licenses

error 18/07/2007 16:31:24 A required license VirtualCenter Management Server is not reserved

error 18/07/2007 16:31:24 A required license VirtualCenter Management Server is not reserved

info 18/07/2007 16:31:23 VirtualCenter started

What can I do...

Help

Olivier

[MR-T]

Using the Licence manager, re-read the licence file or stop & start the service to ensure it's up to date.

Double check the licence usage by connecting to VC and clicking Admin > Licences.

You should see enough licences available to add the host.

[olliec]

Not working..

Still have the same message ..

the host is currently being managed by the virtual....

there are not enough licenses installed to perform the operation.

in admin licenses I sees ESX Standard remaining 2 total 2 ..

still cannot reconnect my ESX

Idea ?

Olivier

[VirtualNoitall]

Hello,

Where is the host ESX pointing to for the licenses server? maybe double check it is using the new server.

[enDemand]

That's exactly where I would start. If you kept the default installation of VC, you've installed a new instance of the License Server and you'll need to reconfigure your ESX hosts to point to it.

Use the VI client to connect to your ESX server directly (not to VC), go to the Configuration tab and click on Licensed Features. You should see it there. If you aren't able to connect via the VI client for some reason, you can log into the Service Console and run:

netstat -p | grep 27010

This should give you an output like:

tcp 147 0 esx1.mydomain.local:53938 vcserver.mydomain.local:27010 ESTABLISHED 2199/vmware-hostd

From this, you'll know that the ESX is definitely connected to a license server (on TCP port 27010) and the name of the server it's connected to. Of course, if nothing returns, then it's not connecting to the license server at all.

If you need to dig in deeper, there was a great session on troubleshooting the License Server at VMworld last year. Here's the presentation (start on slide 23):

http://download3.vmware.com/vmworld/2006/mdc9694.pdf

David

[olliec]

ok.. still pointing to the old license server...

how can I change that ???

Thanks in advance

Olivier

[enDemand]

See my post above. Launch the Virtual Infrastructure Client and point it to your ESX server when you log in (not the VirtualCenter server). You'll need to log in as a user with Root privileges. Once you in, click on your server and then click on the Configuration tab.

There you'll find a Software section. The first item should be "Licensed Features". Click on that and you should see three License sections. The first one is "License Sources". Click on Edit, select "User License Server (recommended)" and then key in the fully qualified domain name of your new license server in the Address field.

Not complete sure, but you may need to restart the VI Agent on the ESX server. You can do that by SSH'ing into it and then running:

service mgmt-vmware restart

You should be able to register the ESX server in VirtualCenter at that point, as long as you have the appropriate licensing.

[olliec]

Sorry, I didn't saw that i should connecto to the serveritself.

I did what you said.. but I still have the same problem. ESX is now pointing to the new license server. but still, I cannot connect it to the VC.

strange

EDIT: still saying that he is managed by my old server

EDIT2: about the licenses, ESX Server Satandard Reamining 2 Total:2 ...

Could it be that my VC have no licences ?

Message was edited by:

olliec

Message was edited by:

olliec

[enDemand]

OK...two questions. Are you getting the same error (can't find the license server?) Also, can you confirm that you have the licenses required to add the ESX server? To do so, click on "Admin" on the toolbar at the top and click on the "Licenses" tab. At a minimum, you'll need the "Remaining" count for ESX Server Standard to equal the number of CPU sockets in the server and 1 remaining Virtual Center Agent for ESX Server.

[olliec]

OK.. problem solved..

The licence file didn' contained the part for the VC.

So, I edit the file, added the one for the VC I downloaded and pasted in the used license file... reread then restart the licensing service.

Added the host.. and let's rock..

Thanks a lot for your help.

Ollie