Good doc for steps on setting up vcenter in esxi 5.1

Does anyone have a good step by step guide for setting up virtual center in esxi 5.1?
I know this is very different than esxi 4.1..
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vmichAsked:
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coolsport00Connect With a Mentor Commented:
I just did something fairly similar a couple mos ago; I did take notes but forget some of the details. First, in your old Cluster that has 1 of the ESX4 Hosts you want to move, disble HA/DRS. Then, in the new vCenter (& thus DC & Cluster on the new vCenter), rt-click the Cluster you wanna add the old Host to and select Add Host. If memory serves, I think you'll get some warning stating the Hosts is associated already with a vCenter and wants to confirm the 'move' the new vCenter. I'm pretty confident this is non-disruptive, but you may wanna do this to a Host with no VMs on it first to make sure.

Once the old Host is added to your new vCenter/Cluster you can then migrate VMs to your new Hosts in the Cluster, and this is assuming your Host processors are compatible for VMotion. Another part to be aware of is your VM Networking Port Group. Make sure the VM Network is set on your new Hosts that resembles your old Host so the VMs will continue functioning properly.

Lastly, in your old vCenter, you will have a 'residual' Host object with "disconnected" or some message like that in fade, italicized text. You just need to rt-click the Host and select Remove.

Regards,
~coolsport00
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coolsport00Connect With a Mentor Commented:
Well, here's a link for upgrades: http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/upgrade-center/upgrade.html; and here is the documentation source for 5.1 in general: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-pubs.html. Your best resources will be from VMware.

Regards.
~coolsport00
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coolsport00Commented:
VMware vExpert Derek Seamens has a blog where he did a multi-part series on upgrading/installing vSphere 5.1. Check it out here: http://www.derekseaman.com/vsphere-5-1-resources; this site is recommended for changing default certs to custom certs (I used it and recommend it).

~coolsport00
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Subhashish LahaConnect With a Mentor Commented:
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vmichAuthor Commented:
Well I guess I should have given more details..
I have 3 esx 4.0 host now so I am going to build 4 new esxi 5.1 host..
Once these are in place do I have to connect these host to the same datastores as the old host or do I just migrate the stuff over?
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Subhashish LahaCommented:
Read similar question on EE. Very good suggestions from Hanccocka (EE expert)

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/VMWare/Q_28131343.html
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coolsport00Commented:
It won't hurt connecting your 5.1 Hosts to the storage, and is actually recommended so you can more seamlessly migrate VMs from one infrastructure to the other.

~coolsport00
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coolsport00Commented:
After you are fully migrated, you can then upgrade your VMFS version from 3 to 5, which is non-disruptive (go to Config tab > Storage > select a Datastore, then the Upgrade VMFS link). It's a bit more work, but if you're able, I would suggest completely removing then re-adding your Datastores with the new VMFS5 by migrating all VMs off to other Datastores then upgrading the Datastore. Do that for each Datastore. Reason is when doing the 'in-place upgrade', you lose some characteristics of VMFS5 as compared to a newly created file system (Datastore). Chances are, you won't notice, but you do gain performance enhancements by doing it that way (removing/recreating Datastores to version 5). It's up to you & how much work you wanna do. :)

~coolsport00
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
do you want to use the same storage?
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vmichAuthor Commented:
yes sir...
So I am going to build the new host and connect them to the same storage as the old host then migrate the vm's to the new host... Correct?
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coolsport00Commented:
Yes.
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vmichAuthor Commented:
I will be setting up the new host in their own new cluster and data center so will I be able to migrate the vm's from the old cluster and dc which is esx on the fly to the new esxi 5.1 host?
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coolsport00Commented:
Not without some downtime of the VMs.
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vmichAuthor Commented:
So I have to power down the vm's to move them to the new host from esx 4 to esxi 5.1
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coolsport00Commented:
Yes; if you placed all Hosts in 1 vCenter and DC Object, you could VMotion them.
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Subhashish LahaCommented:
To migrate your VMs (i.e. Vmotion), downtime is required as you'll have to create a Cluster with EVC enabled.

You're new hardware will have different processors. So you will have mixed processors in your cluster due to old and new hardware.

Otherwise, if you don't want to power down the VMs then I would suggest you use VMware vCenter Converter Standalone 5.1.

Refer below article from Hanccocka(EE expert)

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/VMWare/A_11449-HOW-TO-P2V-V2V-for-FREE-VMware-vCenter-Converter-Standalone-5-1.html
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vmichAuthor Commented:
Coolsport00,
This is what my plan is....
Setup new esxi 5.1 host in the new dc and cluster.
Next attach the new host to the same storage as the esx 4 host.
Next setup a separate cluster under vc on esxi 5.1 and then remove the esx 4 host from its cluster and add it to the second cluster in the esxi 5.1
Then warm migrate the vm's from the esx 4 host to the esxi 5.1 host.
Once they are migrated, I would then have to upgrade the VMware tools and then the vm hardware correct?
They are on version 7 for hardware now...
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coolsport00Commented:
Oh, and you don't have to upgrade Tools & Hardware right away. You can wait until all Hosts are upgraded if you want to. And, I recommend doing so (waiting, that is) because VMs with new Tools/Hardware cannot be migrated to old Hosts (i.e. in the event of HA event).

~coolsport00
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vmichAuthor Commented:
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