Relocating virtual machine using Vcenter

[davebowie]

I have Vcenter server managing two hosts (all version 5) that are connected to two different datastores - when I 'relocate' the datastore I'm technically Vmotioning it as well, as I cannot relocate it to host with a different datastore, it must me Vmotioned as well, I'm technically 'relocating' AND Vmotioning it apparently -

Here's the crux of the problem - I want to Force Vmotion/Datastore Relocation to go down a certain NIC, a 10gb connection (vmk2), rather than the default out of the box vmk0, which happens to be a 1gb connection...

I've done some looking out on the web - and cannot find this addressed anywhere - it appears I can force Vmotion over a certain NIC by checking the Vmotion box under Vmkernel properties, got that, but what is exactly going on when you 'relocate' vm's to different datastores?  How does is choose the vmk? (vmnic?)??????????????????

Thanks!

[a_p_]

I think you are mixing up two things here. vMotion - which only relocates the workload of a VM to another host - and storage migration (manual migration and/or Storage vMotion). vMotion can be configured as a separate vmk. However, storage migration uses the storage connections - if the host is able to access the source and the target datastore - or the Management Network if the target datastore cannot be reached directly.

André

[davebowie]

No - both ESXI hosts do not have have access to the same datastores, which is why I have to change host and datastore simultaneously - if I choose the change datastore option when using 'migrate' the destination host's datastore doesn't show up as an option in the next screen (since the source host does not have access to the storage presented)...

I guess I'm to assume that the files being copied are being copied in and out of the management Nic? Confirmed - I just looked at the traffic - it is going out vmk0 - arrrrrrgh - so there's no way to make it go out a different NIC?