i couldn't find an answer for this in the knowledgebase or searching the forum so here goes:
I have a 4 host ESX Cluster in Virtual Center which is working fine w/ HA and DRS.
If I needed to rebuild my entire Virtual Center box from scratch (including the SQL database), how would I import the 4 ESX hosts back into Virtual Center as an HA/DRS Cluster?
Assume that this would be a fresh VC install and there are no backups of the SQL database.
HA will still work during the VC downtime, just stop the VC service.
It will have no impact on running VMs, DRS won't work while VC is down though.
Once up and running again with a blank database you will have to add the hosts again, when doing this you will break the HA cluster for a few moments. It will still not impact the running of your VMs.
Then just create a new cluster, drop in your hosts, enable HA.
Your VMs will be safe throughout and you'll be missing DRS throughout the downtime but HA for just a few moments while you re-create the cluster.
Message was edited by:
dantastic
Clarification
I think your smiley knows the answer.
Without a db backup you will need to add the hosts to the new VC and create a new cluster. Then add the hosts into the cluster and set your rules and policies.
Will recreating the cluster adversely affect the ESX hosts and/or the VM's on that hosts? Will it power off all the VM's or is it something I can do while the box is 'live'?
HA will still work during the VC downtime, just stop the VC service.
It will have no impact on running VMs, DRS won't work while VC is down though.
Once up and running again with a blank database you will have to add the hosts again, when doing this you will break the HA cluster for a few moments. It will still not impact the running of your VMs.
Then just create a new cluster, drop in your hosts, enable HA.
Your VMs will be safe throughout and you'll be missing DRS throughout the downtime but HA for just a few moments while you re-create the cluster.
Message was edited by:
dantastic
Clarification
HA really only kicks in when the VMs or the host becomes inaccessible. So as long as you don't drop the host or a network link the cluster should keep working until you add the first host to the new vc. At that point the HA & DRS will be broken but it won't impact the vms.