Enable EVC on Cluster with VM running

[panhvr]

Please suggest bets way to enable  Enable EVC on Cluster with VM running - without downtime

All the esxi hosts are of same CPU/hardware

Below procedure works ?

Creating a new cluster with EVC enabled and move one host a time from existing cluster to new cluster and then migrate VM to new cluster.Delete existing cluster and rename the new cluster to old cluster name

[Devi94]

add one host to new cluster. Try vmotion one vm from old to new cluster. if that works fine, proceed with your steps.

[HassanAlKak88]

Hello,

Noting that your steps are correct but be careful to test with one VM before.

And also you can follow the below:

1-Disconnect each host

2- Remove each host form vCenter

3- Enable EVC for the cluster

4- Reattach the hosts

Please consider marking this answer "CORRECT" or "Helpful" if you think your question have been answered correctly.

Cheers,

VCIX6-NV|VCP-NV|VCP-DC|

@KakHassan

linkedin.com/in/hassanalkak

[a_p_]

Why don't you just enable EVC in the existing cluster?

If the hosts are the same, you should be able to select the appropriate EVC mode.

Enabling EVC will not require downtime, or migrations if you pick the appropriate EVC mode. And don't worry, the wizard will not let you set an unsupported mode.

André

[panhvr]

Thanks for the Reply Andre

When I tried enabling the EVC on exiting cluster getting below error.

powered-on or suspended virtual machines on the host may be using CPU features hidden by that mode

Processor on hardware  Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2690 v3 @ 2.60GHz

Model - intel Sandy Bridge Generation ( to match with EVC settings of other cluster )

[a_p_]

Model - intel Sandy Bridge Generation ( to match with EVC settings of other cluster )

You didn't mention another cluster before!? Can you please provide some more information of how your environment looks like, and what you are trying to achieve.

The mentioned CPU is "Intel "Haswell" Generation". If you want to enable a lower EVC mode for such hosts, you'll have to shut down all VMs which have previously been powered on on these hosts. Such a "downgrade" is unfortunately not possible without downtime.

André

[panhvr]

Sorry I missed that Andre.

All the hosts on all clusters are running with processor on hardware  Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2690 v3 @ 2.60GHz

EVC is set to  Sandy Bridge on all of them so to achieve same setting on this cluster ( EVC Sandy Bridge) we wanted to know whether it can achieved by moving VMs to different cluster and enable EVC and migrate back  VMs

[a_p_]

So what's the reason for Sandy-Bridge, if all hosts support newer CPU features?

Changing the EVC level doesn't affect already powered on VMs. This means that you can always go to a higher EVC level if your hosts support it. In case you want to set a lower EVC level than already configured (or if EVC isn't enabled) requires to shut down all VMs which are aware of the CPU features that won't be available with the lower EVC level.

André

[panhvr]

Thanks Andre,

The only concern is if we need to move a VM from "Haswell Generation" cluster to "Sandy bridge generation" without downtime,

Within the cluster I am not seeing any issue by setting to "Haswell Generation" and moving VMs from cluster of  "Sandy bridge generation"  to  "Haswell Generation" no issues

[Lalegre]

If all your host has the same CPU/hardware why don't you just disable EVC?

It is recommended to be disabled in that case.

Also if you want to enable EVC on that cluster, you can point to the highest EVC supported by those hosts and it can be do it without downtime.