VMware Cloud Community
DonDea
Contributor
Contributor

New VCSA 6.7 with existing Windows vCenter Server 6.5

Hi,

I'm looking to start using VCSA 6.7 but we have an existing Windows vCenter Server 6.5. I understand that there is no supported migration path for this which is OK as I'd like to build VCSA 6.7 as a "fresh start".

I have 4 * ESXi, 6.5.0, 15256549 hosts in a cluster and was planning to disconnect one host. Install ESXi 6.7 U3 on it and the setp VCSA 6.7 as a guest and get things going. Then the plan was to migrate some non-production guest to it and test and then over time do the same to all the other hosts.

Is a plausible and supported way of moving forward?

regards.

9 Replies
IRIX201110141
Champion
Champion

For sure there is a migration way. Yes you can migrate from Windows based vCenter to the vCenter Appliance (VCSA).  If you installed tons of other Software/Application on the Windows server than you got the problem after  the migration is finished because the VCSA takes over FQHN, IP address and shutdown the old Windows server.

Regards,

Joerg

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Alex_Romeo
Leadership
Leadership

Hi,

as he has already answered IRIX201110141 you can migrate from Windwos vcenter server to VCSA

https://www.starwindsoftware.com/blog/how-to-migrate-vmware-vcenter-from-windows-to-vcsa-6-7-update-...

ARomeo

Blog: https://www.aleadmin.it/
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DonDea
Contributor
Contributor

Apologies, I meant to write that we have vCenter 6.7.

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jonastro
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hello,

If you are on vCenter 6.7 windows then only migration option available is to go to 7.0 appliance.

If you plan to stay in 6.7 but run with appliance instead of windows then you may have to install vCenter 6.7 as a new instance and recreate datacenter,clusters and add the hosts manually.

Environment:

Four ESXi 6.5 running on build 15256549

Here is the action plan:

  • Validate if the hosts are configured for standard switch and not distributed switch.
  • Validate if you have not enabled EVC mode on the existing 6.7 cluster
  • Go ahead with below steps only if hosts are on standard switch if not, reply back to this thread
  • Deploy new VCSA 6.7 as a VM on one of the ESXi host preferably with a new IP and FQDN and should be on same subnet as the ESXi management network
  • Once completed, login to vCenter and create Datacenter and Cluster
  • You can directly add the ESXi hosts to this vCenter (it should give a prompt that the host is already managed by another vCenter and if you wish to move to the new VC, just select yes)
  • Once you complete adding all 4 hosts you should see all the VMs in the inventory populated
  • You can power off the windows vCenter  or if you have few softwares installed on it and running a critical service then you can uninstall vCenter components and still use it
  • You have to re-add the license to the vCenter 6.7 appliance

What you will lose:

All the tasks, events and performance charts for host sand VMs

All the tags, folders, permissions basically every custom setting that was applied on the 6.7 windows vCenter

If you have EVC mode set or distributed switch, things might require a different approach.

Let me know if this helped.

VMware Cloud Foundation
DonDea
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Jonathan,

We currently use a single distributed switch.

EVC mode is not enabled.

vCenter is on 6.7.0 Build 11727065

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IRIX201110141
Champion
Champion

You can export the vDS setup and import it into a new/other vCenter. After that you can pickup the host into new vCenter.  If you shutdown the old vCenter no other actions need to be taken.

If your Backup/Monitoring/Stuff is  vCenter 7.0 ready i would go the normal migration way and let the hosts stay on current version but only apply the latest patches. If your hosts a certified for 6.7/7.0 you can upgrade them.  Because of the lack of support(Backup, Storage Plugins,....) for 7.0  none of my customers use 7.0 right now.

Regards,
Joerg

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DonDea
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks Joerg,

We'd be moving our hosts to 6.7 U3 and therefore the VCSA to the same as that is what the Dell hosts support.

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IRIX201110141
Champion
Champion

Great.  Check if you have lastest OMSA 9.4 for 6.7 installed on your Hosts at the end.  They also new stuff like iDRACtools.

Regards,
Joerg

DonDea
Contributor
Contributor

What I've done is on the old host (call it .15), I've moved all my VMs to a standard switch. I've then disconnected this host in the "old" vCenter. On the new VCSA 6.7 I've then selected to add this old host but get the notoifcation of "Hosts will enter maintenance mode before they are moved to the cluster. You might need to either power off or migrate powered on and suspended virtual machines."

The notification is a bit ambiguous does it mean the VMs will be powered off?

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