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crescendas
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Can Storage vMotion handle these?

We have an critical VM running on ESXi server which we can't afford to shutdown for backup as Consolidate Backup won't work on ESXi. In this case, is it possible to use Storage vMotion to create a copy as backup? I understand that Storage vMotion is used to move (migrate) storage rather than copying storage. But it is possible?

If we decided to migrate this critical VM from ESXi Server to ESX server, is there any issue we need to take note of before migration with Storage vMotion? This VM is running on a virtual SAN storage (software-base SAN using Datacore SANmelody) which is also running as a VM on another ESXi Server. And this VM has 2 harddisks from this virtual SAN storage, Boot disk is standard while Data disk is raw. Any potential problem before we take un-necessary risk in the migration? We need to do the migration urgently before the evaluation for Storage vMotion expire.

Thanks!

Boon Hong.

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7 Replies
TobiasKracht
Expert
Expert

If you have such critical VM you can use high available active-active storage instead of vMotion (one of customers of our company already made it). I`m not shore if Datacore provides such option, but StarWind Software can offer such one.

Also, can say that Storage vMotion will move such VM without any potential problems.

Also you will find this articles useful too first and second.

StarWind Software R&D

StarWind Software R&D http://www.starwindsoftware.com
Toenuff
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Just clone it. Storage vmotion is only needed to move to new storage. You don't want to do that. You want a copy. Just do a clone while it's running. That's been around since ESX 3.5 u2, I think.

I'm not sure if you want to use this as a backup method, but it will work.

crescendas
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks for replying. I have mark them as helpful. Will check out the cloning feature. Smiley Happy

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crescendas
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Unfortunately cloning does not work. vCenter error message:

Cannot clone Sarah WS2003R2SP2x32Ent VL: Cannot create a quiesced snapshot because the create snapshot operation exceeded the time limit for holding off I/O in the rozen virtual machine.

Does this mean that cloning only works when a VM is power off or do not have any I/O activity? Smiley Sad

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Igwah
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

It just means there was too much I/O at the time of the clone. Try again when there is a bit less disk activity and you should be fine Smiley Happy

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crescendas
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Do you know the amount of IO that will start causing cloning to fail?

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Igwah
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

not sure of an exact level no. I've had the same issue a couple of times and trying the clone at 8am before anyone was in or at lunch fixed the problem. My issues were around cloning servers running Autonomy's IDOL search application.

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