Move ESX hosts and VMs From vCenter to another with ELM

[Saharabdelsayed]

We plan to deploy a new vCenter appliance as an initial step to executing embedded linked mode between the new appliance and the existing one.

This will be followed by moving some of the hosts with their VMs from the original vCenter to the new vCenter. Running VMs must not be impacted and VMs across the two vCenters are reachable to each other the same before they moved out.

still determining the approach to achieve this, the considered steps

Deploy new appliance

Join to existing SSO

Create identical VLAN/Port Groups in new vCenter

(This host which planned to be moved later to new vCenter)

Create a new empty host cluster in new vCenter

Evacuate target host and move it from source vCenter to new vCenter under new host cluster

Mount a new datastore to the moved host

SVmotion VMs to new datastore and moved host

Repeat the same for the second host.

Not sure if this plan is doable or missing pieces or order is not quite right, I am open to any idea or recommendations for achieving this task. Thanks

[sjesse]

Read this

https://communities.vmware.com/thread/589532

and the link from @daphnissov. I did basically what your suggesting,

[Saharabdelsayed]

Its good article to be consider

However, it might be a different situation. i am not migrating hosts from old to new vCenter

Both vCenter going to be in linked mode and managed through same console and the expectation is keep them both manage the inventories.and hosts in both vCeneter still communication

[jburen]

You stated that you are not migrating hosts from old to new vcenter. But you also stated: Evacuate target host and move it from source vCenter to new vCenter under new host cluster.

I don't get it. If you are not migrating hosts why are you building a new vCenter?

IMHO you should keep it as simple as possible. Why not use one VCSA and configure HA on that?