VMware vSphere

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  • 1.  Copy host config to new ESXi server?

    Posted Sep 07, 2015 09:13 AM

    Hello,

    We have a few 5.5 ESXi hosts and I will be introducing a new host soon and want to find an easy way to copy over the network configuration and storage to the new host.  We done have Enterprise Plus, just Enterprise so I can't use The Host Profiles option.

    Is there another method?  Also this would be a nice way for me to backup our current hosts configurations.

    Thanks



  • 2.  RE: Copy host config to new ESXi server?

    Posted Sep 07, 2015 10:19 AM

    Hi!

    Do understand you haven't got the Enterprise Plus feature, but if you don't apply the licence and let it run in evaluation mode, can't you use the Host Profile feature and then apply the license?



  • 3.  RE: Copy host config to new ESXi server?

    Posted Sep 10, 2015 09:05 AM

    Hi,

    The license has been applied though :smileysad:

    I have a perfect host with the storage and standard switches setup, I need a method to backup all these and restore to a failed or new host if possible?



  • 4.  RE: Copy host config to new ESXi server?

    Posted Sep 07, 2015 10:49 AM

    Host profile is better to apply configurations to new hosts... But of you want something "strong" you could export and import data using powercli. There are many things you should to do using powercli... Networking config at the first place with portgroup exports (source PowerCLI command to list all PortGroups on an ESX/ESXi host) :

    Get-VirtualPortGroup -VMHost <youroldhost> | select Name, VirtualSwitch, VLanId

    importing your pg into new host:

    $vswitch = New-VirtualSwitch -VMHost <new host> -Name VSwitch

    $vportgroup = New-VirtualPortGroup -VirtualSwitch $vswitch -Name VPortGroup

    Hope this could be useful, but you should gain experience with this type of vSphere administration... (it's not very difficult ;-) )



  • 5.  RE: Copy host config to new ESXi server?

    Posted Sep 07, 2015 12:53 PM

    Hi.

    Maybe scripted installation is an option for you.

    VMware KB: Deploying ESXi 5.x using the Scripted Install feature

    I use this to deploy our ESXi hosts from a Linux machine using the PXE boot mechanism. Host configuration is done by pre- and postinstall (shell)scripts.

    It takes a time to setup the deployment environment but it's worth it.

    Btw., VMware provides onboard resources to backup and restore your host configuration:

    VMware KB: Backing up and restoring ESXi configuration using the vSphere Command-Line Interface and vSphere PowerCLI

    Cheers

    David