VMware Cloud Community
Frans_P
Contributor
Contributor

Migrate Virtual Center to other server

Hi everyone,

Currently we have VC 2.01 running on an old server which is about to be replaced. This server is running:

- Virtual Center 2.01 Server

- Virtual Center 2.01 Client

- License server

We want to migrate all the content to a new server. Can i just re-install VC2.01 on the new server or do i need to migrate settings?

Best Regards,

Reply
0 Kudos
9 Replies
admin
Immortal
Immortal

You'll need to take two things from the old server - a copy of your VC DB and a copy of your license file (default vmware.lic).

Just export the SQL DB as you would any other then import it to your new VC-server-to-be, then when you install VC on the new server tell it to use an existing database. The license file just needs copying over and pointing to during hte license server install.

Reply
0 Kudos
Frans_P
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the quick reply!

This means i need to install Microsoft SQL Desktop Edition Manually (version 8?)

Could you please explain how i can export the database and import it back to the new SQL engine?

Thanks a lot for your help!

Reply
0 Kudos
admin
Immortal
Immortal

Basically it's just a backup-restore as you would any other MSDE database. Afraid I use SQL server so haven't played with MSDE SQl exports that much, I know if you have an SQL server somewhere that you can use you can point SQL Enterprise Manager at your MSDE DB and back it up that way, otherwise this article might be useful to you.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q241397/

If you don't care about performance history, templates or user roles/permissions - you can just create a new database on your new VC server and re-register all the ESX hosts with the new VC server - this way you'll only need the license file copied over.

If you choose to create a new VC DB be sure to remove the ESX hosts from the VC inventory of the old server before trying to add them to the new VC server or you'll get an error "this host is already managed by server blah".

Reply
0 Kudos
Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

After you restore the database, if VC won't run, it is due to a problem with the account that you setup VC to connect with.

The account was correctly in the restored database, but it wasn't correct in the SQL server.

This is how I remedied this issue:

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=531096&#531096[/b]

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
Reply
0 Kudos
Frans_P
Contributor
Contributor

No the graphs, premissions and other don't interrest me at all.

Just a few questions:

1) Once i reinstall VC, do i need to reconfigure HA (setup a new Cluster etc.)

2) Are the Virtual Services automaticly listed once i add the host?

Reply
0 Kudos
Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

No the graphs, premissions and other don't interrest

me at all.

Just a few questions:

1) Once i reinstall VC, do i need to reconfigure HA

(setup a new Cluster etc.)

2) Are the Virtual Services automaticly listed once i

add the host?

If you are simply doing a move, and you use my method, you won't lose anything.

If you restore, and then install on top of, and don't delete the data, you should[/b] keep everything as well.

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
Reply
0 Kudos
Frans_P
Contributor
Contributor

Well i don't care so much about all the graphs and stuff, a fresh install would be nice.

As said, can i just delete the ESX servers from my inventory and add then on the new VC server, meaning all Virtual Servers will be back again?

Reply
0 Kudos
luv2ride
Contributor
Contributor

Basically it's just a backup-restore as you would any

other MSDE database. Afraid I use SQL server so

haven't played with MSDE SQl exports that much, I

know if you have an SQL server somewhere that you can

use you can point SQL Enterprise Manager at your MSDE

DB and back it up that way, otherwise this article

might be useful to you.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q241397/

If you don't care about performance history,

templates or user roles/permissions - you can just

create a new database on your new VC server and

re-register all the ESX hosts with the new VC server

- this way you'll only need the license file copied

over.

If you choose to create a new VC DB be sure to remove

the ESX hosts from the VC inventory of the old server

before trying to add them to the new VC server or

you'll get an error "this host is already managed by

server blah".

So if one was to uninstall Virtual Center, then install on another without removing my esx host how is one to get around the error message

If you choose to create a new VC DB be sure to remove the ESX hosts from the VC inventory of the old server before trying to add them to the new VC server or you'll get an error "this host is already managed by server blah".

I click past this message but still can't manage/connect/add this host to the new build.

Any suggestions?

Reply
0 Kudos
moneill
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Had a similar problem this am until I shut down the VC server service on the old server.

All connected OK as soon as the old service stopped.

Looked like there was no VC licence available.

Mike

Reply
0 Kudos