Moving VC 2 Server into different AD Domain

[james_charter]

Hi All,

I have a questions about procedure to deal with the impact of an AD Domain change for both the ESX Hosts and VC.

The environment is a 3 Host VI3 DRS/HA Cluster (3.0.1.42829 with 2.0.1.40644).

Licensing Server hosted on VC, SQL DB is external.

The VC and Hosts fully qualified names need to change to reflect '.com' instead of the current '.corp'.

So far I have tested making the changes on one of the Hosts.

I can successfully make the changes to the Host to change the name extension and adjust the DNS settings for the new domain.

All is well with releasing the licensing, making the changes, removing the Host from VC and then adding it back in.

When I added the Host back into VC I tried to provide the license server name to the Host as the future name with the .com extension (using an entry in the local /etc/hosts file so it could resolve to it), but this didn't stay after reboot, and the licensing server name is still listed as the old .corp extension.

My question is this:

If all the Hosts are changed and licensed with the VC (vc.domain.corp) as hostname#.domain.com and the VC server is moved into domain.com, will the hosts have licensing issues?

I'm expecting that the license server entry will have to be changed on the Hosts to reflect the new FQDN (vc.domain.com), but will this work?

Has anyone seen this situation before or done something similar?

I'd like to avoid having to release all licensing before migrating the VC to the new domain.

All thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers,

James

[cheeko]

I think it's better to use DNS instead of hosts file. DNS is much simpler to maintain.

Ping the license server from the console of the esx host. First the IP then the name to check your DNS settings.

[james_charter]

The Hosts are using DNS servers. Resolution is working fine.

I added an entry to the hosts file to try and use a different name for the VC licensing server (vc.domain.com instead of vc.domain.corp). This resolves fine.

Any advice on what will happen when the VC server is moved into the new domain (with different FQDN)?

[cheeko]

Nothing, you just need to login to VC with the credentials of the new domain. Or a local admin.

[james_charter]

True, but how will VC licensing for the Hosts be impacted?

[cheeko]

AD and/or domain change does not impact Licensing.

The ESX host just has to find the Licensing server. You can also use the IP for that.

[james_charter]

Just so I clarify what is happening...

The VC is changing it's FQDN from vc.domain.corp to vc.domain.com

The Hosts are configured to point to the VC/Licensing server vc.domain.corp.

DNS will properly resolve vc.domain.corp (for awhile anyways) after the change to the vc server.

So that is fine for a short time, but sooner or later I will have to change the licensing server reference to the new FQDN (vc.domain.com).

Is there any impact, other than changing the reference for the licensing server on the Host? And if that is changed will it cleanly change over or will the licensing have to be released and then added back?

[cheeko · Accepted solution]

Is there any impact, other than changing the reference for the licensing server on the Host?

No.

And if that is changed will it cleanly change over ..

Yes.

... or will the licensing have to be released and then added back?

No manual action needed. The host IP and config remains, so no license-reissuing.

[james_charter]

Thanks for the clarification cheeko. I will give it a try and then post the results.

In the meantime (change won't happen 'till Friday night) if anyone else has gone through this please also provide your thoughts about possible pitfalls.

Cheers,

James

[james_charter]

Two of the hosts are now moved into the new namespace (hostname.domain.com). I will be moving the third host this morning, and then changing domains on the VC box (and DB server) tonight.

I have talked with IBM's VMware Support team and they have validated the process we are using (and cheeko's answers on how the licensing will behave!).

I'll post on the other side.....:)

[james_charter]

All went well. The VC box updated the Hosts with the licensing server change (vc.domain.corp -> vc.domain.com) post Domain migration, so there was really nothing to do other than re-configure DRS and HA back to previous settings and test.

It was definitely an easy process by making the changes on the Hosts first.

Cheers,

James