Best practice to replace hosts with different CPU

[pbuch]

Hi everyone!

I have the project of replacing four old hosts in a cluster with HA and DRS.

However, these old 4 servers don't have CPU as the new hosts (E5345 to X5560) but EVC is enabled

Here below what I think it's should be done:

1. Install ESX 5.0.0 build 623860 (like the proudction hosts) on 2 hosts
2. Create a temporary cluster
3. Add hosts to a temporary cluster
4. Reproduce the vSwitch configure like the production cluster
5. Connect all the luns (like the proudction cluster)
6. Moving 2 hosts to the production cluster
7. Shutdown running VMs and move them to the new hosts
8. Start VMs
9. Test vMotion between the 2 new hosts
10. Remove old hosts (only 2 at this time)
11. Do again point 1 to 10 :-)

Is my process correct?

Thank you for your help

Ph.

[beckham007fifa]

add another point of testing whether you are able to see the datastore similar to your old host on the newer hosts.

• Shutdown running VMs and move them to the new hosts - this should be
  

unregister the vm's from the previous hosts and power on to the new one.

update vmware tools and hardware acceleration for the virtual machine on the new hosts.

[pbuch]

Thank you for your help !