Creating 2nd server with same IP address as the first.

[Unocson]

I've mostly been a hardware person up to this point so I'm pretty new to VMware (and a crash course in networking as well). Just created my VM account and this is my first question.

We are doing an application upgrade soon and my end is to create 5 new machines to replace the 5 old servers currently in production. I have the machines set-up and waiting on the vendor specific OS to power on the machines (Ubuntu if it matters), then assign them the same IP addresses as the original server. Once the vendor has finished setting up the new operating systems and respective applications the old ones will be turned off with no interruption of traffic.

What I am trying to understand how to do is assign the new machines the same IP addresses as the old ones and not have issues. I've read this can be done with network segregation, but I don't know how to accomplish this with vSphere, or how to frame the question properly to get the answer I'm looking for.

Thank you in advance for any instructions and guidance I receive.

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

From what you say, I take that there's no option to install the VM using a temporary IP address!?

If the new VM does not need network access until the exiting one is going to be powered off, you may simply disconnect the VM's virtual network adapter (clear the "Connect", and "Connect at power on" check boxes on the VM's network adapter settings).

In case you need network/Internet access, and do not have another, separate network, it may be an option to use NATting via e.g. a NAT router (physical, or virtual).

André

PS: I've moved the discussion to the vSphere™ vNetwork

[Unocson]

Thank you a.p. for the reply.

We are in the gaming industry and have a few hundred end-point devices pointing at these 5 machines. The plan is to set-up these updated virtual servers next to the original servers and mirror (not sure if that's the right phrase) the traffic using the same IPs. Once the new servers or correctly established, the old ones will be turned off and there should be no/minimal interruption noticed by the end-points.

Normally I would assign new addresses then change them afterwards, but some of what we are doing involves databases and 3rd party backups that will require the static IP to not change. The only direction I've been given is to "just set up a segmented network so when the new ones are finished we can just turn off the old ones".:smileyconfused:

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