VMware {code} Community
akutz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Introducing the VI 2.5 Client Plugin - SVMotion

SVMotion is a VI 2.5 client plugin (the FIRST released, third-party plugin in fact) that extends the client's functionality by providing an integrated, graphical tool that can be used to invoke storage VMotion (SVMotion) operations. This plugin is not supported by VMware. In fact, the plugin is not anywhere close to supported by VMware because it is the result of a two-week dive into the inner-workings of the VI client libraries with popular reflection tools (reverse-engineering). l o s t c r e a t i o n s is working on a white paper that describes how to build VI plugins.

Read more about SVMotion and download it here http://www.lostcreations.com/code/wiki/vmware/viplugins/svmotion.

Reply
0 Kudos
178 Replies
TXGeoff
Contributor
Contributor

Are you referring to the svmotion XML file? If so, I can't find it anywhere on the machine with the plugin installed. Is this supposed to be generated all the time, or only on errors?

Thanks,

Geoff

Reply
0 Kudos
akutz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Look at the website. It is in your temp dir.

--

-a

"condensing fact from the vapor of nuance"

Reply
0 Kudos
TXGeoff
Contributor
Contributor

Right. I was running an older version and just upgraded. The file is there now and I sent you a PM with the output.

Geoff

Reply
0 Kudos
Teovmy
Contributor
Contributor

Were to download it. I can not find it? Could somebody add the link?

Regards. @teovmy http://www.mikes.eu
Reply
0 Kudos
akutz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

The link is http://vip-svmotion.sourceforge.net/

--

-a

"condensing fact from the vapor of nuance"

Reply
0 Kudos
dotcom78
Contributor
Contributor

Hey akutz, great tool. Really good stuff. I have one problem that I'm hoping you might be able to explain.

What conditions cause the "migrate storage" menu item to be greyed out. I have one (and only one out of about 50) VM that when I right click the option is greyed out. The only strange thing with this VM is that it was removed from the inventory and then added back in. Would this have done anything?

Any help appreciated.

Reply
0 Kudos
Murr38
Contributor
Contributor

Great work! Very handy, and works like a charm for me.

Cheers.

Reply
0 Kudos
MF-NZ
Contributor
Contributor

hi, feedback is bit encoraging to try tools you have but few links are not working (eg - http://akutz.wordpress.comcode/wiki/vmware/viplugins/console) manage to download from http://vip-svmotion.wiki.sourceforge.net/ a zip and msi and installed on VC - restarted - nothing working. I do not see plugins installed. help plz.

Reply
0 Kudos
iwant2knowwhois
Contributor
Contributor

I am also have the same issue as TXGeoff with the error message of "the request storage vmotion would move a virtual machine's disks without assigning the virtual machine a new home, but such a move is not supported on the source host"

I have also submitted the bug. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Reply
0 Kudos
pp1
Contributor
Contributor

Hej

Har semester och är tillbaka Måndag 5/8

Ha en bra sommar

//Peter

Reply
0 Kudos
iwant2knowwhois
Contributor
Contributor

what?

Reply
0 Kudos
iwant2knowwhois
Contributor
Contributor

OK..... I figured it out what i was doing wrong. What I was doing was selecting the Hard Disk and not the complete Guest. It seems that it is working now.

Reply
0 Kudos
mcsenerd
Contributor
Contributor

This is a great contribution by Andrew...and it works like a champ when moving entire machines and their associated configuration information, but in an enterprise environment it is a necessity at times to locate VMDKs on different LUNs and storage devices on a regular basis. I just can't seem to get this GUI to allow this to happen. I get the same "The requested Storage VMotion would move a virtual machine's disks without assigning the virtual machine a new home, but such a move is not supported on the source host" - error that everyone else is. I shouldn't have to move the entire machine and I should still be able to relocate individual disks from a machine at will. I know I can do this very thing with the Remote CLI. I just found the sourceforge version of your plugin...so maybe that will correct my issue...but in any case...please accept my thanks for this greatly needed contribution to the VMware community.

Reply
0 Kudos
Teovmy
Contributor
Contributor

Van vrijdag 11 juli tot maandag 11 augustus 2008 ben ik afwezig en kan ik uw mail helaas niet beantwoorden. Uw bericht wordt niet doorgestuurd.

Bij terugkomst zal ik antwoorden op uw mail.

Voor dringende zaken kunt u contact opnemen met de afdeling ICT.

telnr. 045-5736280

Met vriendelijke groet,

Roy Mikes

Mondriaan - voor geestelijke gezondheid,

Afdeling ICT

JF Kennedylaan 301

6419 XZ Heerlen

• 045-5736280

• r.mikes@mondriaan.eu<mailto:r.mikes@smzg.nl

Regards. @teovmy http://www.mikes.eu
Reply
0 Kudos
jeangaud
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having the same issue when moving to a datastore when the VM is online.

No problem moving it when it's offline.

I will post the data set on your sourceforge website.

By the way, your tool looks very promising!

I feel i'm gonna like it alot!

Thanks

Jean

Reply
0 Kudos
vmproteau
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

This is a great plugin. I read one post that this doesn't work with VC 2.5 Update 2. It was an isolated post so, I wasn't sure if it was accurate. Anyone use Andrew's plug-in with this version.

Andrew - If you're seeing this, have you tested with the new version of Virtual Center?

I'm going to migrate several VMs to new storage over the weekend. I'm considerign updating VC prior.

Reply
0 Kudos
mpverr
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I just downloaded the version 1.0 as there was no mention of any other build. could you provide a link for the newer build? I have some 150 VMs i need to move to new LUNS and trying to use the command line svmotion.pl is horrible.

thanks!

ps - great job on this tool and SHAME ON VMWARE for not having this "simple" plug in available by now instead of waiting for VC 3.0

Reply
0 Kudos
KidE
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Well we upgraded last week to VC 2.5u2 and this morning i tested with the SVMotion plugin and it works splendid i must say Heart

We are migrating about 1200 VM's from 1 storage array to the other and out service managers are gonna be very pleased to hear that they don't need to request downtime.

Great work man!

I just had 1 question:

Would it be possible that you can make the window resizable? it is now but only the outer edge resizes and not the contact of the window.

Gr,

Ernst

Reply
0 Kudos
mpverr
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I don't think you can resize the window (bummer I know - but livable since it works great).

How many VM are you looking to move at once? We found that the loads on the fiber is pretty high when we do these and are leaning towards an offline migration since we have so many to do.

any thoughts?

Reply
0 Kudos
YunghanLu
Contributor
Contributor

Dear Akutz:

I have problem to download the SVMotion Plug-in from the link you provide?

How can I download this Plug-in?

TKS

Reply
0 Kudos