One SAN two diffrent vSphere clusters?

[Speedbmp]

we are trying to get our data from our old vSphere cluster ESX 5.0 to our NEW ESX 6.7 Cluster (two different vCenters)

our old SAN can work with 6.7 it is on the HCL and has been updated.

our new Cluster uses vSAN, i have setup one of the hosts so i can talk to the OLD SAN via a vmkernal port i setup.

however i can't seem to get any of the iSCSI luns to show up.

can you run a SAN on two different clusters?

if not what would the best way to migrate the data? Veeam?

Stephen

[rcporto]

can you run a SAN on two different clusters?

Yes, you can have many different clusters using the same storage array without problem.

if not what would the best way to migrate the data? Veeam?

Best way is really present the old storage to the new cluster, migrate the virtual machine to the new cluster (maybe you will need to shutdown the VM if CPU differs between clusters) and then storage vMotion the VM on the new cluster from the SAN datastore to vSAN.

About the reason why the new server cannot see the iSCSI, can the host see the volumes (but not the datastore), or the host cannot see even the volumes? Which storage array you`re using? And which version of VMFS you`re running in your old cluster?

[HassanAlKak88]

Hello,

Yes, you can present/map the old storage (LUNs) to the new cluster with VSAN, and then migrate VMs through storage and host migration. (I tried it frequently i guess it is the perfect way to migrate from old vsphere to new one)

Regarding, i can't seem to get any of the iSCSI luns to show up, Kindly follow the following: DiskStation Manager - Knowledge Base | Synology Inc.

Please consider marking this answer "correct" or "helpful" if you think your question have been answered correctly.

Cheers,

VCIX6-NV|VCP-NV|VCP-DC|

@KakHassan

linkedin.com/in/hassanalkak

[Speedbmp]

About the reason why the new server cannot see the iSCSI, can the host see the volumes (but not the datastore), or the host cannot see even the volumes? Which storage array you`re using? And which version of VMFS you`re running in your old cluster?

The storage is a Tegile, running VMFS 5.54

i've done a re-scan, nothing. i don't see anything in the devices, paths.

under targets i have put the ip addresses of the Tegile SAN under dynamic Discovery.

the one thing that looks odd is under the Network port binding it all looks good there but the "path Status" says "not used"

[a_p_]

Is your iSCSI network a separate subnet?

Are you able to vmkping the storage system's IP address(es) from the VMKernel port which you have created on the ESXi host?

Did you present the LUNs to the ESXi host?

André

[SupreetK]

If you have Jumbo Frames enabled in the network, vmkping should be tested with jumbo frames.

vmkping -I vmkX storage_IP -s 8972 -d

Cheers,

Supreet

[Speedbmp]

i did a vmkping from the host to the SAN and it was a no go. however i was able to ping the interface of the vmkernel from a different device.

i do not have jumbo frames enabled on this network.

so something is not quite setup right i think.

[a_p_]

so something is not quite setup right i think.

I absolutely agree 😉

Did you configure the iSCSI VMkernel port in the same subnet as the target (storage system)?

Is the related uplinks (vmnics) connected to appropriately configured/tagged switch ports?

André

[Speedbmp · Accepted solution]

OK just thought i should tell you what was done to fix the problem.

in the Tegile SAN i had to make sure i had the NEW ESX in the the old Initiator Group. (not a different one)

we then removed and added the vmkernal port and then we did a re-scan and boom the old luns where there.

so i have migrated a few VM's from the old SAN. and this is going to take a long time. but it's working so YEAH!

Thanks for the help.

Stephen