Moving clustered ESX hosts from vCenter 2.5 to vCenter 4?

[hellraiser]

Hi,

I'm currently building a new vCenter 4 install to replace the poorly setup 2.5 install that I inherited. My server is built and running, and I have started to add some of my existing 3.5 hosts, the question that I have is the following:-

I have a pair of 2 node ESX 3.5 clusters, how do I go about removing these from the existing VC2.5 and attaching them to my new VC4 install? Do I need to uncluster them, import them and then re-create the cluster or is there an easier way?

Cheers

JD

CompTIA A+ Network+

vmware VCP 3

[athlon_crazy]

Just vMotion VMs on node1 to node2, disconnect node1 from VC 2.5, remove it, then add to your VC 4.0. Errr, dont forget license server ya..

vcbMC-1.0.6 Beta

vcbMC-1.0.7 Lite

http://www.no-x.org

[hellraiser]

Lol, not a problem, already installed the licence server on my new VC and imported the licence file, all of my 3.5 boxes I've put on are getting their licence info from there, not falling for that one

Right, I'll do the vMotion thing, the only issue I have is putting everything one one side of the cluster is going to slow things down a little so I'm going to have to get approval before I can do it - I need to upgrade the RAM in the boxes, but it's a case of getting time!

Cheers

[Troy_Clavell]

why not leave everything as is and just disconnect the ESX Hosts and remove from one enviornment and add host into the new. All your VM's will continue to run fine. Once added the vpx agent will get upgraded on the Hosts. I will only enable HA after all your hosts have been added into the new cluster.

[hellraiser]

So disable HA first? What about DRS?

Cheers

JD

CompTIA A+ Network+

vmware VCP 3

[Troy_Clavell]

I would not enable HA/DRS on the new cluster until all hosts have been placed into it. As for the old cluster, you can leave HA on, but maybe set DRS to 5. This way no DRS events get kicked off.

[mark_chuman]

in 2.5 cluster

1. disable ha/drs.

2. disconnect hosts.

3. remove hosts.

in 4.0

1. add hosts.

2. enable drs/ha.

used this to migrate over 600 hosts. no issues.