How to create a resource pool under an ESXi 6.5, 6.7 or 7.0 host managed by vCenter?

[DenisZA]

The 'New resource pool' option is disabled if I right click the 'Cluster' or any ESXi host. 

Once I've enabled DRS on the 'Cluster' then 'New resource pool' option is no longer greyed out and works, if right click the cluster. 

However, the 'New resource pool' option remains greyed out if I right click any of the hosts that are under the cluster. 

So, how do I create a resource pool under an ESXi host that is managed by vCenter?
I need the resource pool to be created under a specific ESXi host that is running ESXi 7.0 as then I can set Arcserve RHA to build replica VMs on that particular host, as if I have 'Cluster' selected then the replica VM will fail half the time if one of our ESXi 6.5 hosts are chosen. 

 

[Douglas Bowen]

The hosts themselves are resource pools as such. That said you can't create a new host only resource pool. This sounds like something you would be better achieving with host affinity rules instead. Make sure that the VM can only be created on the ESXi host running 7.0. https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere.resmgmt.doc/GUID-0591F865-91B5-4311-ABA6-84FBA5AAFB59.html

[DenisZA]

Maybe, how do I create a VM group that contains the VMs that are not yet in the infrastructure?

Can I create a VM group by variable, so like all VMs named ABC*?

[Douglas Bowen]

Well I assume that not all machines will be running on the ESXi 7 host, as there are other ESXi hosts in the cluster. So you will have to add the machines that need to be run here to the VM group assigned to the rule at point of spinning them up. If you will be creating many machines, there are fairly standard ways of automating it. For smaller number of machines, there should be no need.

[Douglas Bowen]

One example of automation of rules is here: https://encoretechnologies.github.io/blog/2019/01/vmware-affinity-rules/

[DenisZA]

3rd party Arcserve RHA will create the VMs.
I can set this to use a resource pool, hence asked about creating a resource pool under a specific host. 
Else it creates the VMs on the 'Cluster'.

So if I cannot create a VM variable that says VMs named ABC* should be created and booted on this host group, then VM affinity host rules won't do the trick I'm afraid, but thank you. 

[Douglas Bowen]

Only option would be to create a cluster just with the esxi 7 host and create the resource pool there.

[DenisZA]

Ta, will just have to make changes to master VMs so H/W level is supported by our 6.5 ESXi hosts then push for new hardware so we can run ESXi 7.0 or newer across the board. 

[DenisZA]

VMware needs to remove 'New resource pool' when right clicking a host if that isn't an option