vSphere Distributed Switch and vMotion with Enterprise License ?

[stanj]

the setup is as follows:

vSphere vCenter 4.1

ESXi 4.1 Enterprise Plus for 4 Dell 2950’s

I have the 4 dell 2950s in a cluster with a vSphere Distributed Switch configured for vMotion (for HA and DRS) across the 4 servers.

I was given a new Dell R710 and a vSphere Enterprise license.  I added the Enterprise license to vCenter and added the new R710 running ESXi 4.1.

Currently, there are no open nic ports on the Dell 2950’s

The new Dell R710 has 8 nic ports.

Question is, since the R710 is using an Enterprise license, how can I set up vMotion in vCenter for HA since I cannot add the new R710 to the Distributed Switch?

[weinstein5]

You are going to run into a number of issues with vmotion - the network needs to be configured the same way on both source and destination hosts - so you will hneed to either upgrade to enterprise plus so you can sonfigure the new host the same way or breake apart the distrubuted switch to standatf vswitches -

[chriswahl]

The easiest solution sounds like upgrading your 1 Enterprise license to Enterprise Plus. This will avoid having to reconfigure anything.

[stanj]

I was afraid of that answer..

we cannot upgrade to the plus license due to funding,

looks like it is going to have to be.. remove the Distributed Switch and set up a standard switch for each server in order to have vMotion,.,,

thanks

[chriswahl]

I haven't tried it, but I wonder if you can make a vSwitch vMotion vmkernel on the Enterprise host with the same name as your dvSwitch vMotion portgroup? This may enable vMotion across the cluster. I've done something similar for a migration from 3.5 to 4.1 using vMotion (Enterprise to Enterprise Plus).

Just spitballing on this, have not tried it and not sure if it's even supported.

[stanj]

interesting thought, but I would bet VMware has it setup so that would not work,,,,,

they loose  in the end!

I may give it try anyway,,,

thanks

[stanj]

i may have a diffrent issue..

just noticed 

the new Dell Server R710 has a X5690 processor

the 2950's are E5430s

I tried to enable EVC mode and get an erorr...