Steps to remove old SAN from 5.5 environment.

[Plumcrazy2010]

I am running ESXi 5.5 with 2 hosts and I recently moved all my VM's from the datastores on my old SAN to new datastores on the new one. What are the steps to remove the old SAN from my iscsi environment? Is it ok to delete the old datastores even though they still contain things like .vSphere.HA and/or vsantraces folders? One even contains the following folders: vmkdump, .vSphere-HA, syslog, vsantraces and vSphere Management Assistant.

I just want to make sure I don't cause problems while removing this SAN.

Thanks,

Scott

[pavitb]

The vSphere-HA folder contains: http://www.vladan.fr/what-is-vmware-vsphere-ha-folder-for/ So dont delete this folder unless you're sure that some other datastore is used for heartbeating.

I suggest you manually assign a datastore for heartbeating which will be in use in future, and leave it for vSphere to select after you've deleted the datastores. You can do this under Cluster settings -> vSphere HA -> Datastore Heartbeating.

A graceful sequence to remove the old iSCSI SAN would be:

1. Unmount the iSCSI datastore(s)

2. Remove the iSCSI targets from the iSCSI adapter

3. Format the data of the iSCSI LUNs from the web console of the iSCSI device (You can do this before Step 1 too in case you don't have access to the iSCSI web console. Deleting a datastore and then unmounting it would be the sequence)

Pavit

[Plumcrazy2010]

Where do I find cluster settings? Also in case it matters, my two new datastores also have the .vShpere-HA folders as well.

-Scott

[Plumcrazy2010]

Also, do I need to disconnect the old datastores from the hosts or will that get done with the other steps you listed?

[FritzBrause]

Best would be to follow this KB: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2004605

Unmounting a LUN or detaching a datastore/storage device from multiple VMware ESXi 5.x/6.0 hosts (2004605)

[pavitb]

Right click on the Cluster -> vSphere HA -> Datastore Heartbeating, you'll find the option there to choose the heartbeating datastore. The datastores will get disconnected after you unmount them and do a rescan of HBA.

Pavit

[Plumcrazy2010]

I do not have that option.

[BenLiebowitz]

If you're using the web client, click on the cluster, then go to Manage - Settings - Click vSphere HA and click EDIT.  Then go to Datastore Heartbeating.