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reattach datastore to esx 3.5 host

i'm having to reinstall esx 3.5 to the embedded storage on our server
our datastores are mirrored sas disks
the esx installation has always resided on the embedded storage

after reinstalling esx 3.5 on this embedded storage, how can i reconnect the datastores and bring up the two guests that exist?

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coolsport00

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Steven

ASKER

these were pointing to a esx 3.5 host. WHAT IF i were to install 4.0 - can i reattach my 3.5 datastore to 4.0 that easily?

coolsport00

Yep...you should since the file format didn't change from 3 to 4. The main thing to remember here is that when adding a datastore...like if you were to add a new one (either from local storage or SAN), the process of adding a datastore formats, and thus deletes any data (like any disk formatting) on those disks. But, if you're re-adding storage that was already once a datastore, as long as the file system is the same in the ESX versions, you're good to go.

~coolsport00

Steven

ASKER

okay, so it sounds as if installing 4.0 would be the better move since we planned on upgrading anyway....

so install 4.0 to embedded
then follow your original instructions to connect my 3.5 datastore correct?

coolsport00

Yes; when you re-add your VMs to inventory, your VMs will be 'outdated', meaning you will need to upgrade VMware Tools (do this FIRST), then upgrade your VM Hardware (from v.4 to v.7). If you're planning on doing an upgrade, I would reference the Upgrade Guide here:

Regardless of the seamless process, I would still make a b/u of your VMs/data. That's just best practice. BTW, when you say 'embedded storage', you just mean "local" storage, correct? Your storage isn't on a SAN? Do you have your OS (ESX hypervisor) on separate disks than your datastore?

~coolsport00

Steven

ASKER

we have a usb thumb drive on the "backplane" which is actually accessed by taking off the case of our dell poweredge server

the esx install existed on this thumb drive

the datastore existed on the two mirrored sas disks

Steven

ASKER

i guess youre also saying that datastore filesystems from 3.5 to 4 are the same, correct?

coolsport00

OK...so you're actually using ESXi, not ESX, correct? Because you can't run ESX from a flash drive.

Yes, the VMFS file systems stayed the same. See pg. 10 in the Upgrade Guide: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf

Steven

ASKER

yeah i guess its esxi - i must first apologize for my lack of vm knowledge - i know the basics

okay, so we are running with 3.5, we will upgrade to 4.0 later. we are in the middle of a critical outage.

i just got 3.5 installed on the thumb drive. now we are supposed to boot the server to the drive, should i have my sas disks plugged in at this time (this is where the datastore resides)

thanks for all your help

SOLUTION

coolsport00

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Steven

ASKER

you saved the day - mad props

little disaster recovery action, just glad its over

coolsport00

Awesome...glad you're back up and going! :)

~coolsport00