garyttu
asked on
Migration between ESXi servers using vCenter + trial
All,
We use a vCenter, vSphere 4 environment in our enterprise across multiple offices. One branch office of ours has a single server located overseas with a slow WAN link. This server runs as a Win 2003 DC, fileserver, and Exchange 2007 server.
Our goal is to migrate these services to separate VMs using ESXi and upgrade the DC/services to 2008 at the same time. We have a license ready to go for this server once it is brought online using ESXi so we can connect it to our vCenter.
However, we have an issue in that we need to pull everything off and move everything back to the same server after ESXi is installed…
Here’s the general plan to be carried out onsite:
- Install ESXi to a Laptop or desktop machine
- Use a trial license on the ESXi laptop/desktop so it can be joined to our vCenter.
- Configure VMs on this ESXi ‘trial’ laptop/desktop
- Move all services/files off of current (non-esx) server and relocate them to VMs on the laptop/desktop
- Reformat current (non-esx) server using ESXi.
- Install actual license for this production server and connect to vSphere
- Using vCenter, cold migrate the VMs and datastore off of the ‘trial’ ESXi desktop/laptop back over to the newly formatted ESXi production server
- Bring down and disable/disconnect from vCenter the ‘trial’ ESXi desktop/laptop
Does this plan sound like the most efficient way to do things with minimal downtime/hassle?
Is it ok to do this from a license standpoint (use a trial for 2 days or so)? It seems like connecting both systems to vCenter makes for the cleanest migration.
Any other comments?
Thanks in advance for the help…
We use a vCenter, vSphere 4 environment in our enterprise across multiple offices. One branch office of ours has a single server located overseas with a slow WAN link. This server runs as a Win 2003 DC, fileserver, and Exchange 2007 server.
Our goal is to migrate these services to separate VMs using ESXi and upgrade the DC/services to 2008 at the same time. We have a license ready to go for this server once it is brought online using ESXi so we can connect it to our vCenter.
However, we have an issue in that we need to pull everything off and move everything back to the same server after ESXi is installed…
Here’s the general plan to be carried out onsite:
- Install ESXi to a Laptop or desktop machine
- Use a trial license on the ESXi laptop/desktop so it can be joined to our vCenter.
- Configure VMs on this ESXi ‘trial’ laptop/desktop
- Move all services/files off of current (non-esx) server and relocate them to VMs on the laptop/desktop
- Reformat current (non-esx) server using ESXi.
- Install actual license for this production server and connect to vSphere
- Using vCenter, cold migrate the VMs and datastore off of the ‘trial’ ESXi desktop/laptop back over to the newly formatted ESXi production server
- Bring down and disable/disconnect from vCenter the ‘trial’ ESXi desktop/laptop
Does this plan sound like the most efficient way to do things with minimal downtime/hassle?
Is it ok to do this from a license standpoint (use a trial for 2 days or so)? It seems like connecting both systems to vCenter makes for the cleanest migration.
Any other comments?
Thanks in advance for the help…
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If I connect both servers to that vCenter, migration will move across the WAN link even if I set up both servers on their own site in vCenter?
Thanks for your help!