Can someone help with the syntax ( or process) for how I can move a couple of virtual machines from 1 ESXi server to another ESXi over a network? I'm just not that familiar with Linux/Unix.
This can be done offline with the vm's shutdown if that matters.
Just download and install the free VM converter tool. Install it on a windows box that's on the same subnet as the ESXi hosts
one way is shut down the VMs and move the files to another machine (though this might be a bit slow)
I'm sure theres a better way
maybe export the Virtual appliance and then import it
I installed the stand-alone converter tool - it seems to have no method for me to connect to the ESXi server to get the source files. Not sure how this would be helpful as I don't want to convert them - I just need to move them.
ya I'm not sure how the converter tool is relivant ether
but in the Infrastructure client you can go to File->Virtual appliance->export
the VM's have to but shutdown for this (I think their vmotion would be the way to do it live though)
and I'm unsure of the impact it could have
the times I've done it were to duplicate a VM (oh and it is very slow it seems it took about an hour last time)
(Please award points for helpful and correct answers)
It can copy the VM from one server to another as well as convert a physical machine to a VM. Just select convert machine and change source type to VM infrastructure VM. Then enter host to copy from with UID and PW. The next screen lets you pick a VM to copy (VM must be power-off). The next screen just select to host to copy to and enter UID and PW. This method leaves the original VM files on the copy from host so you may want to delete once you're sure everything works on the new host.
Pefect -this is exactly what I was looking for.
Solution:
Shut down the VM
Choose File > Virtual Appliance > Export - pick your director.
interesting I'll have to download it for future VM moves
Does anyone know if the current version 5.5.3 will work to move/copy VMs to the new ESXi 6.0?
I just did this last week. To move VMs between free ESXi's you need a third computer with enough disk space to hold the full size of the VM virtual disks.
(I am not clear on this, but this process may change thin disks to thick during the move rather than being a raw disk datafile copy. I used thick in the first place for performance, so don't know if that happens or not.)
From this 3rd computer with the large temporary storage, run vSphere client.
Log on to the source ESXi
Log on to the target ESXi
Choosing Move should allow moving of virtalized domain controllers between ESXi's without breaking them. If you choose Copy, the network MAC addresses and possibly other values such as the disk SID may change, which will screw up a virtualized domain controller and your domain.