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  • 1.  New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 13, 2011 04:01 PM

    Hello All,

    We will be installing a new ESXi cluster soon. Our current cluster is 4 nodes that are about 4 years old. The new hardware is not compatible with the old hardware. We will be managing the new systems using our existing vCenter server. We will eventually move allof our virtual machines to this new cluster over the course of the next year.

    Would it be better to create a new datacenter object for this installation or just create a new cluster under the existing datacenter? Once the existing virtual machines are moved to the new cluster, the old systems will be shut down and retired.

    Thanks in advance,

    Dean



  • 2.  RE: New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 13, 2011 05:35 PM

    I would make a new cluster, not a new datacenter for the new servers. Since this will be in the existing physical datacenter, and be used for the same tasks, it makes more sense (to me) to go that route. You will want to be sure that the SAN LUNs are added to the hosts in the new cluster, which is pretty easy to do. If you want with a new datacenter, things would be more isolated, which you wouldn't want. 



  • 3.  RE: New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 13, 2011 05:59 PM

    There is no need to create a new datacenter.

    And you can make cold migration across clusters.

    Check if your system are compatible with EVC... maybe you can use it to have vMotion working.

    Andre



  • 4.  RE: New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 13, 2011 06:03 PM

    Hi Dean,

    The only reason I see to add a new Datacenter object is if you want to create new datastores or networks with same names as old ones. Here is an extract of the Datacenter Administration Guide:

    "The datacenter defines the namespace for networks and datastores. The names for these objects must be unique within a datacenter. For example, you cannot have two datastores with the same name within a single datacenter, but you can have two datastores with the same name in two different datacenters. Virtual machines, templates, and clusters need not be unique within the datacenter, but must be unique within their folder.

    Objects with the same name in two different datacenters are not necessarily the same object. Because of this, moving objects between datacenters can create unpredictable results. For example, a network named networkA in datacenterA might not be the same network as a network named networkA in datacenterB. Moving a virtual machine connected to networkA from datacenterA to datacenterB results in the virtual machine changing the network it is connected to."

    Good luck.

    Regards

    Franck



  • 5.  RE: New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 13, 2011 07:37 PM

    New cluster is enough, Datacenters are usually used for different sites.



  • 6.  RE: New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 13, 2011 07:43 PM

    Welcome back. :smileygrin:



  • 7.  RE: New datacenter or new cluster?

    Posted May 16, 2011 02:17 PM

    Well, it looks like a new cluster is in order. Thank you all for your assistance.

    Regards,

    Dean