migrating to new environment.

[the_quick]

Hi guys

 

Looking for ideas. This summer we will be moving our vmware environment to new one - all in one solution, probably VRTX.Currently we have 3 servers as ESXi host and SAN for storage, all connected through a dedicated switch.

We use veeam backup

Now I wonder how I move all of it to the new setup? Was thinking about veeam, but I think it needs vCenter first - am I wrong?

 

Do I just create new Vcenter on new environment and bring vms from the veeam backup - would that work?

 

Many thanks in advance

[Davit2005]

Veeam can either connect individually to hosts or to vcenter.

 

I'd recommend keeping Veeam separate and on separate storage if possible maybe use one of the freed hosts?

 

Regards vCenter, I'd take backup of config from existing vcenter management interface, Rebuild vcenter in the new environment and restore config from backup.

 

Other options depending on your existing setup may include vmotion to new environment or even Veeam to restore vcenter to new environment (but that may depend on how many CPU licences you have in Veeam)

Edited May 12, 2020 by Davit2005

[the_quick]

Thanks for that @Davit2005

 

After I wrote the post I have start looking more in depth, and adding just a host to veeam might work. So I will try restoring vcenter from backup and vmotion VMs to the new setup over network - just need to configure vlans for it.

Veeam already sits on a physical server with own storage, so it is not a part of current setup

[Davit2005]

Thanks for that @Davit2005

 

After I wrote the post I have start looking more in depth, and adding just a host to veeam might work. So I will try restoring vcenter from backup and vmotion VMs to the new setup over network - just need to configure vlans for it.

Veeam already sits on a physical server with own storage, so it is not a part of current setup

 

I'm in the same scenario at home, all my hosts are different CPU family so no option to vMotion which becomes a problem with vCenter. But should not be impossible to get around somehow :-)

[chris11256]

I went through this process in July. New san & hosts. In the end I added the new hosts to my existing Vcenter and then migrated everything with Vmotion(including Vcenter itself). Took about 2 days to get everything moved, but went really well with no downtime at all. Just needed to make sure that the vlan configuration was identical(names included). Edited May 13, 2020 by chris11256

[the_quick]

Thanks guys.

 

Chris, my license is limited to 3 hosts and it doesn't support live migration of VM with it's storage. But previously we just used evaluation license key for standard version - we got it from a friendly supplier.

But I think any new installation get evaluation license? If not I might try to find an eval license somewhere.

[chris11256]

Thanks guys.

 

Chris, my license is limited to 3 hosts and it doesn't support live migration of VM with it's storage. But previously we just used evaluation license key for standard version - we got it from a friendly supplier.

But I think any new installation get evaluation license? If not I might try to find an eval license somewhere.

 

Ahh ok. Would your existing hosts be able to run more servers? You could always unlicense one host and migrate it's vm's to the other two hosts and then gradually introduce new hosts that way. This is how I did it, as we only have the essentials plus license for three hosts.

Other thing you can do is suspend the VM's and move them while suspended I think.

Edited May 15, 2020 by chris11256

[Davit2005]

Building a new vcenter of the same version in the new environment and restoring from a backup may be the next option. There are a few ways you can do this but you will need to get onto the appliance management console which is a different port and log in with the credentials used when setting up vcenter.

[RobD]

Thanks guys.

 

Chris, my license is limited to 3 hosts and it doesn't support live migration of VM with it's storage. But previously we just used evaluation license key for standard version - we got it from a friendly supplier.

But I think any new installation get evaluation license? If not I might try to find an eval license somewhere.

 

I'd do this, otherwise as other have said, veeam or turn off the VMs and move the files over.

[chris11256]

Thats also good, Veeam VM migration is very good as well!

[the_quick]

Thanks guys, all really helpful tips

 

I can move all vms to the 2 hosts and add the new host from the new environment. The only problem is moving datastore - new storage as well. Same license essential plus. But if I get hold of eval standard license I can do it this way. Otherwise, it will be veeam.

[chris11256]

Thanks guys, all really helpful tips

 

I can move all vms to the 2 hosts and add the new host from the new environment. The only problem is moving datastore - new storage as well. Same license essential plus. But if I get hold of eval standard license I can do it this way. Otherwise, it will be veeam.

 

We have essentials plus as well. It will let you do Storage Vmotion as long as you do a compute vmotion at the same time. So you’ll need to move the vms to the new hosts as the same time as moving them to the new datastore.

 

If you can connect your existing hosts to the new storage that’s great, otherwise it’ll do it over the network.