Migration path from 32-bit vCenter Server 4.0 to 64-bit vCenter Server 4.1?

[morsek]

I'm having a hard time coming up with a migration path that will get me from my existing vCenter Server 4.0 (Running under Windows 2003 - 32-bit), to vCenter Server 4.1, which I understand is 64-bit only.

My current vCenter is running in a guest on 64-bit hardware, so from a 'hardware' point of view I have no problem. But I cannot upgrade Windows 2003 32-but to 2008-R2 64-bit in place. I could build an entirely new server, but I'm at a loss as to how to migrate the function of vCenter from my older server to the new one. Several instructions have simply said to import/export the sql database - which I am not confident I can do without explicit instructions (no mssql expers here).

I'm hoping there's a simpler path. Perhaps if I could set up a new 64-bit server, link them, let it move the data across, and decomission the 32-bit one? (I don't know if vCenter server linking works that way).

Any suggestions, or existing documented migration paths that would help me? I'm somewhat stumped as to how to approach this.

Thanks,

-Ken

[weinstein5 · Accepted solution]

The important question is where is you vCenter data stored? Are you using SQL Express, a local SQL Server or a remote SQL server? All of the information about your vCenter environment is stored in that database - so if you build a new vCenter server all you will need to do is have the ODBC connector to point to the existing database and when you install vCenter 4.1 the databse will get upgraded.

Check out Section 5 of this document http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_upgrade_guide.pdf

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[GreatWhiteTec]

Need more info. If your SQL Database is located on a separate server, you could just rebuild the vCenter on the 64 bit OS and point to the existing DB.

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[morsek]

Pointing me back to reread chapter 5 of the migration guide again was what I needed. I had overlooked the statement that in the case of vCenter installed SQL Express database, the backup/recovery/migration script takes care of the entire database as well. This is why I was having such trouble - I was looking for documentation on a step that I did not need to perform (manually moving the database).

It took me until today to get my 2008 R2 system the way I wanted it, added to the domain the way I wanted it, etc... I figured while I was building a 2008 R2 system, I'd build it as template, fought with 2008 R2 sysprep for a while, and I decided to do the system name shuffle so the new serve kept the name of the old server, all of which slowed me down.

I believe I have now completed the basic migration successfully, with only a few small nits to iron out. Update manager has the wrong IP address in it, converter needs to be reinstalled, little things like that. But otherwise, I believe the operation was a success.

Thanks for you assistance,

-Ken