Setting a specific NIC for migrations?

[Archain07]

Hello, I have 2 ESXi servers in the same subnet, connected via a 100/full switch. Each host is using local storage only. I can migrate a powered off guest between each host, changing the host and datastore at full line speed.

My question is: Is it possible for me to have a direct connected Cat6 cable between 2 Gigabit NIC's on each host, and specify within vSphere/vCenter that I want the traffic for "Migration" or copying data between datastores such as ISO images go over the gigabit instead of my 100meg side.

I tryed to make a new network with the cross-connect and that works ok, and I can enable it for vMotion traffic, but as this is not really a vMotion since i do not have shared storage, it does not seem to do what I want.

Thanks for any input!

[Varunsh]

yes, you can set specific NIC for migration and crossover cable will work as well...but what you are trying is not vmotion as defined by VMware....also Vmotion is not only copying of data...

VirtualCenter VMotion Requirements

To be configured for VMotion, each host in the cluster must meet the following requirements.

Shared Storage

Ensure that the managed hosts use shared storage. Shared storage is typically on a storage area network (SAN). See the VMware SAN Configuration Guide for additional information on SAN and the Server Configuration Guide for information on other shared storage.

Shared VMFS Volume

Configure all managed hosts to use shared VMFS volumes.

• Place the disks of all virtual machines on VMFS volumes that are accessible by both source and target hosts.

• Set access mode for the shared VMFS to public.

• Ensure the VMFS volume is sufficiently large to store all virtual disks for your virtual machines.

• Ensure all VMFS volumes on source and destination hosts use volume names, and all virtual machines use those volume names for specifying the virtual disks.

Note Virtual machine swap files also need to be on a VMFS accessible to both source and destination hosts (just like .vmdk virtual disk files). Swap files are placed on a VMFS by default, but administrators might override the file location using advanced virtual machine configuration options

How VMotion works

As stated above, VMotion is the process that VMware has invented to migrate, or move, a virtual machine that is powered on from one host server to another host server without the VM incurring downtime. This is known as a "hot-migration." How does this hot-migration technology that VMware has dubbed VMotion work? Well, as with everything, in a series of steps:

A request has been made that VM-A should be migrated (VMotioned) from ESX-A to ESX-B

VM-A's memory is pre-copied from ESX-A to ESX-B while ongoing changes are written to a memory bitmap on ESX-A.

VM-A is quiesced on ESX-A and VM-A's memory bitmap is copied to ESX-B.

VM-A is started on ESX-B and all access to VM-A is now directed to the copy running on ESX-B.

The rest of VM-A's memory is copied from ESX-A all the while memory is being read and written from VM-A on ESX-A when applications attempt to access that memory on VM-A on ESX-B.

If the migration is successful VM-A is unregistered on ESX-A.

[Archain07]

Hi thank you very much for your input! I know it is not a vMotion, basically what I am trying to accomplish is a migration clone to another "host" over a crossover gigabit connection to the other host. I have the network setup between the 2 hosts, however when i choose to do the migration, or clone etc, it goes over the 100meg management/vm network instead.

[Archain07]

Anyone know?