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millardus
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Storage VMotion and what it actually does?

Hello there

I have recently started using VM at my new company and I am migrating various VM's off of ESX hosts in order to patch them (ESX 3.5 Patch level 4).

I have now come across my first VM that is installed on local storage on an ESX host. I understand that I need to use Storage VMotion in order to migrate this and that there is a plug-in that can be used to do so (SVMotion VI-Client Plugin). I have also read the Admin guide pre-requisites for Storage VMotion and I have that covered.

However, what I dont understand fully is what this process actually does. On one online resource I found it says the following "However, with SVMotion the VM Guest stays on the server that it resides on but the virtual disk for that VM is what moves". Now, if I need to reboot this ESX host is that going to impact this Guest VM?

I don't quite understand what this distinction between "Guest" and "VM Virtual disk" would mean in terms of system impact for the service that VM provides.

Any takers?

Tom

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AntonVZhbankov
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Storage VMotion allows you to migrate pwered VM seamlessly to end users. But you always can power VM down and migrate to another datastore.


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http://blog.vadmin.ru

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AntonVZhbankov
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If you have ESX with 2 datastores you can migrate VM from one datastore to another without powering VM down with Storage VMotion.

If you urgently have to reboot the host, just cancel Storage VMotion and VMotion VM to another host, that's all.


---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

EMCCAe, HPE ASE, MCITP: SA+VA, VCP 3/4/5, VMware vExpert XO (14 stars)
VMUG Russia Leader
http://t.me/beerpanda
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millardus
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Hey Anton

The standard "vmotion" side of it doesn't seem to work because this particular VM is on the local ESX storage. The ESX host in question can see multiple Datastores and the VM can see the local ESX storage as well as a ISCSI LUN.

I attached a screenshot for you of what happens when i try standard VMotion. Am i correct in thinking I need to perform Storage VMotion in that case and if so would the fact the ESX host restarts during Patch updates have an impact. I would likely migrate the VM onto SAN storage from the local and then move it back after all the patching is done.

Tom

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AntonVZhbankov
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Storage VMotion allows you to migrate pwered VM seamlessly to end users. But you always can power VM down and migrate to another datastore.


---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

EMCCAe, HPE ASE, MCITP: SA+VA, VCP 3/4/5, VMware vExpert XO (14 stars)
VMUG Russia Leader
http://t.me/beerpanda
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beckhamk
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You are correct you wont be able to vmotion the vm because its on local storage. So you need to svmotion to a lun that all hosts can see. in vsphere the svmotion ability is finally in the ui. But 3.5 you have to use the command line which isnt too bad or a plugin.

millardus
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Cheers chaps

Yeah I installed the plugin which appears to give me the interface I need. But, it turns out the VM in question is not critical so I will shut it down first and then VM.

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AntonVZhbankov
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If you consider any comment as helpful please award points Smiley Happy


---

MCSA, MCTS, VCP, VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

EMCCAe, HPE ASE, MCITP: SA+VA, VCP 3/4/5, VMware vExpert XO (14 stars)
VMUG Russia Leader
http://t.me/beerpanda
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