ESXi

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  • 1.  ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 11:18 AM

    vcenter 6.0 / esxi 6.0 u3

    I have a v2 cpu and v4 version cpu model server

    Servers with v2 cpu are running

    v4 cpu model installed on the new server

    I want to migrate to v4 server

    Empty one v2 cpu model server using vmotion

    After you create a new cluster v2 server and v4 server EVC configuration possible?

    next

    Can I migrate from an existing v2 server to evc cluster and move it to v4?

    next

    Is it possible to migrate back to a v4 cpu model cluster?

    Is this how you can migrate VMs to a new server?



  • 2.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 11:32 AM

    Can you give the exact make and model of your CPU. Generally EVC is decided based on the generation of CPU not with specific models, if both V2 and V4 comes under same generation then we need not worry about EVC.

    If you give me the exact CPU make and model, I can get the generation of CPUs and provide more inputs on which generation the EVC should be selected.

    Regarding your queries

    After you create a new cluster v2 server and v4 server EVC configuration possible?

    Yes, it is possible until you dont have any VMs running on it which may create conflicts with the setting.

    next

    Can I migrate from an existing v2 server to evc cluster and move it to v4?

    Again it depends on the CPU family/generation, we cant decide on V2 or V4

    next

    Is it possible to migrate back to a v4 cpu model cluster?

    Yes, if the CPU generation are same.

    Is this how you can migrate VMs to a new server?

    Yes, for online vmotion we have to ensure CPU generation are same from source to destination without creating any conflict during migration. For cold migration, we need not worry about EVC.



  • 3.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 11:48 AM

    If you give me the exact CPU make and model, I can get the generation of CPUs and provide more inputs on which generation the EVC should be selected.

    - server v2(dell PowerEdge R720,hp ProLiant DL380p Gen8) cpu intel CPU E5-2600 series / v4 server cpu platinum(dell R740) ..?

    ​


    I can not speak English very well. Please understand

    Migrating servers with the evc configuration

    I can migrate vm online.

    Is that right?



  • 4.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 12:34 PM

    So you have following CPUs, correct me if my understanding is wrong on CPU models

    Intel Xeon E5-2600 V2

    Intel Xeon E5 -2600 V4

    From my research it looks like. Both are from different generations V2 -- Ivy Bridge and V4 - Broadwell

    I don't think you will be able to migrate online as they are from different generations. You can test this by adding new V4 host to the existing cluster temporarily and try to perform vmotion validation. If validation is successful, Then you can perform online vmotion. Else you have to set a EVC baseline in new cluster which supports both V2 and V4 model, then have to perform cold migration.

    VMware Knowledge Base

    You may have to set L5 as per above KB.



  • 5.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 12:46 PM

    Is not online migration possible?

    Can not I do online vmotion in the way I suggested?

    v2 cpu server vmotion

    v2 server one v4 server one cluster configuration

    v2&v4 cluster(evc)configuration : v2 cluster vmotion -> v2&v4 cluster(evc)(v2 server->v2 server->v4 server) vmotion -> v4 cluster

    Is it impossible to migrate online with this process?



  • 6.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 03:25 PM

    As per my knowledge it is not possible to do online. you have to take downtime.



  • 7.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 22, 2018 11:39 PM

    Could you tell me why you can not migrate?



  • 8.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 23, 2018 06:57 AM

    Hi - Please refer my thoughts below:

    As per your input, you are having below processor generations -

    v2 Server- Dell PowerEdge R720,hp ProLiant DL380p Gen8 - Intel Xeon E5-2600-v2 Series - Ivy Bridge

    v4 Server - CPU platinum(dell R740) - Intel Xeon Platinum 8100 (Skylake-SP) Series - Skylake

    Supported EVC Baseline for above servers is- IvyBridge

    So, you may try creating new cluster with  new v2Server& v4Server based on Ivybridge-EVC baseline and try migrating VM from old v2-Server to the cluster.

    Online vMotion may work, please check.

    However once you migrated to new cluster, VMs continue to use Ivybridge Processor generation feature set alone.

    If you want the VMs to make use of features available with your v4-Server (CPU platinum(dell R740)), new cluster creation should be done with v4-Servers alone.

    VMs have to be migrated to new cluster with downtime. So that they can use features available with Skylake generation.

    Links to Refer -

    http://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/shared-content/data-sheets/en/Documents/PowerEdge_R740_R740xd_Technical_Guide.pdf

    Intel CPU EVC Matrix (VMware Enhanced vMotion Compatibility) | Virten.net

    VMware Compatibility Guide - cpu



  • 9.  RE: ESXi EVC MODE

    Posted Mar 24, 2018 01:06 AM

    Hi there,

    it is possible online migrate VMs from cluster with processors intel E5-2600 V2 to other cluster with intel E5-2600 V4. the inverse online migration is not posible if you don't using EVC in cluster with intel E5-2600 V4 using EVC configure for Ivy Bridge Processors. This occurs because the destination host has more capable instrutions then source cluster, then when you try migrate back whitout EVC you are mandatory to shutdown VMs.