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ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

  • 1.  ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Oct 28, 2009 04:22 PM

    Hi,

    I have 2 ESXi 4 licenced blades all fully configured with VMotion working etc. I then needed to rebuild one of these blades to ESX so I could install a tool in the service console.

    The build has gone fine, shared storage has been re-established and all vswitches/port groups on the networking side have been re-established the same.

    If I now go to migrate one of the VM's off of the ESXi host, the option to change host and datastore at the same time is greyed out and the option to change host only or datastore only says underneath that it requires the guest vm to be shutdown?

    As a test I ran through the wizard and it actually moved the guest live with VMotion anyway, but any ideas anyone?

    Also as an aside I have just noticed that my thin provisioned disks have strange modification dates when viewed from the GUI, but when viewing the -flat via SSH it shows a correct date?



  • 2.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Oct 31, 2009 09:16 AM

    If I now go to migrate one of the VM's off of the ESXi host, the option to change host and datastore at the same time is greyed out and the option to change host only or datastore only says underneath that it requires the guest vm to be shutdown?

    Right... with a VM powered on (and the right licenses and the right requirements) you can only do a VMotion OR a SVMotion. Not both at the same time.

    Andre



  • 3.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Oct 31, 2009 11:57 AM

    Hi,

    Thanks for the replies. First both hosts are fully licensed and registered in vcenter, and show vmotion along with other stuff, under the licensed options page.

    I appreciate changing the datastore and host at the same time requires the guest be off. However what i am saying is clicking either change host OR change datastore also brings up the warning triangle on that first screen...

    Even with the triangle vmotion works so why is it even displayed!

    I am just wondering if it is a version change glitch or something? Both hosts are vsphere but have different patch levels.

    thanks



  • 4.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Oct 31, 2009 02:45 PM

    If there is a triangle, then there must be a warning (or an error).

    Check in alarm, or see if there is the reason of the triangle.

    Andre



  • 5.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 08:47 AM

    Hi,

    I guess that is what I am asking...

    I can see the triangle, on the front screen, but if I click through it and VMotion the guest, I can select a new host, and there are no validation errors or anything...

    This seems to be my issue, the actual act of VMotion or Storage VMotion works fine, but I keep getting that warning triangle on the first page... and that’s what I want to know about...

    Thanks



  • 6.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 08:50 AM

    Hi,

    Here is the screen which I am talking about...

    See attachment



  • 7.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 09:58 AM

    The warning is only to say that you must power-off the VM to do both operation.

    As you see is printend under the 3rd option and is usual on a powered-on VM :smileyhappy:

    Andrea



  • 8.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 10:08 AM

    Hi,

    I think I am going insane here...

    But on 2 fully licenced hosts, one ESX and one ESXi, using shared storage...

    I should not have to power down my guest VM's to migrate them, because that is the whole point of VMotion.

    So if I select that option why is it telling me that I do....



  • 9.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 02:25 PM

    It's not really a warning. It's a message saying that if you want to do both a VMotion and SVMotion at the SAME time (the greyed out choice), then you must first power down the VM. That message does not applty to the first two choices. If it did, you would not be able to click next.



  • 10.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 04:41 PM

    That warning is only if you wish to VMotion and Storage VMotion at the same time.

    If you look at the is image, you will see there is a warning under VMotion because i'm not able to do it.

    Ignore the Warning and proceed :smileyhappy:

    Regards Simon

    -

    Visit My Blog, The SLOG at:

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  • 11.  RE: ESXi 4 to ESX VMotion?

    Posted Nov 02, 2009 10:00 AM

    Make sure that Port goroups exist with EXACTLY the same names (case sensitive)

    Also, make sure that the Datastores are mapped, again with EXACTLY the same names (case sensitive)

    Lastly, make absolutely sure that you have configured Swap space on the new host

    Host -> advanced settings ->ScracthConfig -> Scratchconfig.configuredscratchlocation

    set the path to a unique path on your esx's storag and esure that scratchconfig,configuredSwapstate is ticked. (you'll need to reboot for it to become active)