Physical RDMs pointer files

[lynwen]

 

I have 2 SANs, let’s call these SAN1 and SAN2.

SAN1 is being de-comissioned.

 

I have several physical RDM disks on SAN2 but their pointer files are on a 'quorum' disk that is on SAN1.  

The actual physical RDM is on SAN2.

 

I need to move the pointer files from a LUN on SAN1 to a new LUN on SAN2.

 

Can I move the point files to a new LUN on SAN2 without affect the data on the RDM?      If so, how do I do this?

 

[rcporto]

Yes, you can without problem, see: Migrating virtual machines with Raw Device Mappings (RDMs) (1005241) | VMware KB

Storage vMotion

• When you perform Storage vMotion, the virtual machine files are physically relocated to a destination datastore. The same host retains ownership or registration of the virtual machine after Storage vMotion completes.
• For Virtual Infrastructure 3.5, virtual disks and virtual and physical mode RDM pointer files can be relocated to the destination datastore but cannot be converted to thick-provisioned or thin-provisioned disks during migration. The RDM pointer files of the virtual machine remain as RDM pointer files when the process completes.
• For vSphere 4.0 and later:
  
  
• Virtual disks and virtual mode RDM pointer files can be relocated to the destination datastore.
• Virtual disks can be converted to thick-provisioned or thin-provisioned disks during migration as long as the destination is not an NFS datastore.
• Physical mode RDM pointer files can be relocated to the destination datastore, but physical mode RDM data cannot be migrated to a VMDK disk using Storage vMotion.
• Virtual mode RDM data can be migrated to a VMDK disk with Storage vMotion by selecting the Disk Format from Advance View, provided sufficient licensing is present.

[lynwen]

thanks for that.  Have read that KB and it does state

"If you do not change the destination format to thick or thin provisioned for an RDM in the advanced section of the migration wizard, only the RDM mapping file will be migrated to the destination datastore".

However I cannot find a way to do this.  I do have a vcenter, have attempted Migrate -->  Change Datastore -->  Advanced--> Select the physical RDM 'Hard Disk 17' --> Select Datastore 'New quorum disk'

Compatibility error - virtual machine is configured to use a device that prevents the operation: Device SCSI Controller 1 is a SCSI controller engaged in bus-sharing

I add, I do not want to migrate the VM or the physical RDM just the pointer file to a new datastore

I attach a quick diagram to show what I am attempting 

[IOWDave]

Is the guest running when you are trying the svmotion? As far as I'm aware it would need to be shut down for an svmotion action to happen.

[SureshKumarMuth]

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply, I missed this message.

Have you migrated the RDM pointer files successfully ? From the error message I understand that you are using bus sharing. When you have bus sharing, the svmotion is not allowed. Refer the following article and check if it helps you

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003797

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003684

[SureshKumarMuth]

Do you have vCenter server? do you have the source and destination datastore mapped to the host ?

You may try to do a cold migration to move the disks via storage vmotion. This will move the pointer file to the destination datastore.

Read the following article

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1005241

Regards,

Suresh

[lynwen]

thanks for that.  Have read that KB and it does state

"If you do not change the destination format to thick or thin provisioned for an RDM in the advanced section of the migration wizard, only the RDM mapping file will be migrated to the destination datastore".

However I cannot find a way to do this.  I do have a vcenter, have attempted Migrate -->  Change Datastore -->  Advanced--> Select the physical RDM 'Hard Disk 17' --> Select Datastore 'New quorum disk'

Compatibility error - virtual machine is configured to use a device that prevents the operation: Device SCSI Controller 1 is a SCSI controller engaged in bus-sharing

I add, I do not want to migrate the VM or the physical RDM just the pointer file to a new datastore

I attach a quick diagram to show what I am attempting