vSphere Web Client 5.1 -- Migrating Custom Attributes to Tags

[jo_strasser]

Hi Community,

We have upgraded last week our vCenter Servers to 5.1.

So, I´m now experimenting with the all new Web Client at the moment.

For the best user experience, I want to convert my custom attributes to tags in the Web Client.

My custom attributes includes informations about competence, function of VM, SLA Level and so on.

But:

1) We are using three vCenters in Linked Mode. If I start the migration wizard, I should select a vCenter which I want to migrate the attributes. But the migration wizard shows up ALL custom attributes of ALL vCenters. If I now finish the wizard, he gives me a error msg back that the object doesn´t exists. It´s not practicable to select each attribute that should be migrated, because we have about 5000 attributes in VC.

2) After the migration I deleted all tags and categories and I want to try it again. But: Now, the migration wizard shows me, that ALL attributes are already migrated (marked with a *). So the migration wizard doesn´t alows me to migrate again. Very bad...

So at the moment I doesn´t see any chance to get my attributes in the Web Client as Tags, but it´s very important for me.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Johannes

[maxel]

We have problems with convert Custom Attributes to Tags too.The wizard is not very helpful. The converting fails and now we have only a few of our custom attributes as tags.. and no chance to do it again . Did you found a solution for that?

One big problem is..we have a attributes named "backup required" on our VMs..with the value "yes" or "no". if we try to convert this to tags, the wizard shows all of the entries correct , but says the value of the tags has to be unique??!! WTF!! Seems that the value "yes" or "no" can only be once in the database..but how can we get the right assignement to our vms?

[jo_strasser]

Hi!

The value can only exists one time at the import process. Thats a  big Problem for you.

You have to set the tags manually after importing the "categories".

The import wizard is "at the beginning".

Another thing:

I have found the solution to run the import wizard again if the import fails and the attributes are marked in the wizard as "already imported":

You have to uninstall the vSphere WebClient Server and install it again.

The data isn´t stored in the VCDB, it´s locally on the WebClient Server.

I have opened a SR at VMware, I´ll keep you up to date...

hear us, Johannes!

[jo_strasser]

Another thing:

It´s equal if you setup your vCenters in Linked Mode or not.

If you try to create a category on one of your vCenters you cannot create it on a different vCenter with the same category name again.

In my case, all vCenters have the same categories, so the import wizzard will fail on import, because the category "already exists".

A very bad situation for customers who have setup their environment like mine.

Thanks, Johannes!

[jo_strasser]

UPDATE:

I have got a call with the VMware Product Marketing, VMware Support Manager and the TSE himself.

Here a Summary of that call... (original text from VMware Support Engineer).

Issue: Migration of Custom Attributes from vSphere Client with Migration Wizzart into Web Client is not working.

Following our internal investigation this is an engineering bug in the code of application.

Unfortunately at this point issue will be resolved in vSphere 5.1 Update 2 that is being schedule to be release at Q4/2013 or Q1/2014.

There is no valid workaround, as it would require to make changes on the Inventory Service DB ad code and WebClient code as well.

There is already engineering bug open and your ticket is assign to it. When resolution will be available, you will get additional email from VMware Support with further instructions.

So, in my case, I haven´t any workaround.

What we can do:

1) Keep the old vSphere Client

OR

2) Migrate the Custom Attributes manually

I know, it´s a hard work to migrate it manually, and it is very frustrating that VMware cannot solve this at the moment.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

It was a big mistake from VMware for all the enterprise customers.

And 1 jear of transpose time is for us tooooooo MUCH!!

VMware: SOLVE THIS BUG ASAP!

I will give all for us to get an valid solution!!!!

I will keep you up-to-date...!

Thanks, Jo!

[lamw]

I recently found out that you can restart the Custom Attributes migration (even after they've been migrated to Tags), not sure if it'll help you in your case but you can find more detials here http://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2013/04/how-to-restart-the-custom-attributes-to-tags-migration-proce...