Best Way to move a VMDK between VM's

I have a old VM which we will call OLD and an updated one called NEW. OLD has three VMDK files attached to it that I need to move into the folder of the NEW VM.

I know vmkfstool -i is the recommend way to move /clone a VM.

Questions.
1) Can you use this command to clone a VMDK is the source VM is in another cluster?
2)  What is the backup option to using vmkfstool -i to clone the VMDK is you do not have enough space to depulate teh VMDK fiel and only want to copy it?
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compdigit44Asked:
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
1 yes, this command works at the host and datastore level, so it moves data from one datastore to another.

2. if you do not have enough space for the copy or clone, you do not have enough space, copy will fail.
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compdigit44Author Commented:
Stupid question...

I have never used the vmkfstool -i command to move / clone a vmdk from one datastore /cluster to anther. I have only done this on vmdk that share the same datastore. What changes would I need to make to the syntax
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
is the host connected to both datastores ?
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compdigit44Author Commented:
NO it is not
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compdigit44Author Commented:
Here is the problem I have two VMs which we will call OLD and NEW and NEW is going to be replace  OLD with the same name. When we deploy VMs we renamed the old one in the display to OLD-OLD then Deploy the new template as OLD so all of the files are named correctly then updated the display name to OLD-NEW. I cannot move the VM to the same datasore since the VMs folders have the same name.

The 3 VMDK files I have to move range in size from 100GB - 450GB. What is the best way to do this
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
Backup and Restore product ?
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compdigit44Author Commented:
YES vRanger moving from an old Windows 2003 server version 5.2 to WIndows 2012 R2 version 7.1.1
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
Could you use this?
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compdigit44Author Commented:
I am confused??? Use what oh great one????  :-)
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
Use you backup product, to backup and restore to the location you require.
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compdigit44Author Commented:
But the VMDK attached to the old VM has reference images and would issue just deleting them I believe unless I am totally missing something here which is most likly
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert / EE MVE^2)VMware and Virtualization ConsultantCommented:
VM has reference images ?

what are these ? please expand.

So Backup the VM OLD, and Restore the VM OLD VMDKs, to the new host and cluster, and datastore NEW Folder.

This will restore all 3 VMDKs files to the new folder, with the existing VM configuration, add these VMDKs to the VM New, and then complete a storage vMotion, and this will rename all the files (VMDKs) etc.

Can this be done?

Otherwise you will have to

1. CLONE OLD to a new VM (temp).

2. Then use vMotion to move between hosts.
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