Migrate to new vCenter server hw

[bjornl]

I'm making plans to migrate all my ESX hosts from my old vCenter server hardware to a new (and much faster) one. Both vCenter servers are version 4. To remove an ESX host from my old vCenter, I need to put it in maintanence mode. Maintenance mode means powering down or moving my VMs to other hosts.

Is there a way to move my ESX hosts to the new vCenter server without powering down VMs?

[a2alpha · Accepted solution]

Hi bjornl,

If you need to keep the VMs running on the hosts whilst removing the host from either a cluster, datacenter or even vCenter, then select the option to 'Disconnect' first. The host will show as greyed out and disconnected. Once in this state you can 'Remove' the host from your first vCenter.

Create your new Datacenter and Cluster then 'Add host' into the new one. All the while your VMs will be powered on.

The only issues I have had with this is if either the original or the new cluster is using Enhance vMotion Compatability (EVC). This would need to match at both sides. Once you do this it works fine.

Hope this helps,

Dan

[bjornl]

Nice. That should do it for me Thank you.

[baecke]

To retain the vCenter data you can also go with the following approach :

- Backup the complete vCenter database on the old server.

- Decommission the old server.

- Create new server with same server settings (IP, name, etc. )

- Import the database on your new-to-be vCenter server and create ODBC connection

- Install new vCenter with the new ODBC connection. Select "No" for overwriting data

[vmpowered]

Now add dvSwitches into the mix, any ideas?????

[tricake]

i think that when using the previous DB nothing happens but I'm also interested in a more exprerienced advice on that!

[vmpowered]

Well no ideas, so here is what I did.

Migrated back to vSwitch's migrated to new vCenter and recreated distributed switch's.

Maybe ugly but worked with no interuption that anyone could notice.

[b4ndit]

maybe this will help your migration runs smoothly..

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102213...

http://blog.vmpros.nl/2010/08/10/vmware-migrate-vcenter-4-0-database-to-new-vcenter-4-1-server/

[sugadada]

Appreciate the links