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masarost
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Migrating from free ESXi 5.0.0 / ESX 4.1.0 local database to Purchased ESXi 4.1.0 with SAN

We currently have four host servers.  Two host servers are the free version of VMware ESXi 5.0.0 and ESX 4.1.0.  I have two hosts in a cluster, obviously with the purchased licensed version and running VMWare VCenter running ESXi 4.1.0.

All of these hosts have all the data (vmdk files etc..) stored locally on the host servers.  I will be migrating to a new SAN and purchasing licenced copies of VMware.

I need to move virtual servers from the free version VMware hosts (ESXi 5.0.0 / ESX 4.1.0) to the licensed ESXi 4.1.0 host cluster.  I can export the folder containing all the files and import it to the licensed cluster.  Once the folders are there, how do I activate the servers from the folders and fire them up?

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a_p_
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I have to get the current virtual servers off these old hosts onto the new servers which we are ordering.

In this case I would setup the new environment and then use e.g. VMware Converter to migrate (V2V, with the VM's powered off) the VM's from the old hosts to the vCenter Server environment which will allow you to select the storage as the target.

André

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a_p_
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Welcome to the Community,

if I understand you correctly you are going to have all 4 hosts licensed!? If so, you could just update vCenter Server to version 5 and connect the 4 hosts to it (vCenter Server 4.x cannot manager ESXi 5.0 hosts). Once this is done, you can use either cold migration or Storage Migration - depending on your licensed features - to migrate the VM's to the SAN storage.

André

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masarost
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Let me tell you a bit more about the design.

The two unlicensed host servers are running on very old hardware.  They will not be used in the new design.  I have to get the current virtual servers off these old hosts onto the new servers which we are ordering.

I am sure that will change your answer now you know this detail and I am sorry I did not mention that earlier.

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masarost
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Sorry, forgot to mention the old host servers will not be able to connect to the new SAN either.

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a_p_
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I have to get the current virtual servers off these old hosts onto the new servers which we are ordering.

In this case I would setup the new environment and then use e.g. VMware Converter to migrate (V2V, with the VM's powered off) the VM's from the old hosts to the vCenter Server environment which will allow you to select the storage as the target.

André

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weinstein5
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Welcome to the Community - Treat these as sepearte upgrades/migration - strting with the vCente4 4.1 and the two node cluster - upgrade the vcenter instance and then the esxi host following VMware upgrade guide - http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-501-upgrad...

For the two older hosts that are going to be replaced I would build the new machines and add them to the vCenter environment - since they are not going to have SAN connectivity I would export the VMs and import them into the new ESXi hosts or as Andre suggest use Converter - -

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masarost
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Thanks for all your help.

Copying the folder was not the way to go as I found in some other posts.  The best way to do this is use converting.

Thanks guys.

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