vCenter appliance in a cluster with EVC disabled

So you have two vCenter Server clusters, which use different CPU generation types ?

There is also Per-VM EVC if you are using vCenter Server 7.0. (but VM needs to be off, to enable EVC)

Just login direct to another host and add to inventory, and power-up!

(that can be done).

If the CPU's are different between them, then I believe you have no choice but to shut down vCenter to move it. If this is the case, and you need to shut it down, you could go to the host where vCenter is located, export it from the host, and import it into a host on the other cluster. However, there is a number of configuration for vCenter that match the environment it is in if you have vDS, etc. So this could be problematic.

Another option, that may be more time consuming is to do a backup of vCenter, the do a restore type deployment on the other vCenter. Once again, this will have some risk and issues going to a different cluster. 

Correct two different clusters with EVC disabled and different CPU gen types.  One thing forgot to mention the vCenter appliance doesn't have storage visibility where the other cluster/host is.  So I would need to get storage mapped.

I would need to copy VM files over to a datastore there first correct?  Then login to that target host, then do the add inventory / power up?

There is no vDS all standard vSwitch here.  

Okay.  We don't have a backup/restore process in our DMZ.  It might be a good time to configure that and try this out as an option.  Thank you both!

If you do not have a third party product to backup your vCenter, you can configure the appliance in the management interface to send backups to a target. Then, to a restore from backup as a deployment method. This takes longer, but will work.

Also, as previously mentioned, you could do an export from the current host and do an import to the new host. 

Thanks Rodney.  Both hosts don't share datastores so will export/import work?  I may try the native backup/restore from the appliance itself.

Yes, when you export a VM, you select the path where you want it to save the files. You just need to make sure you have enough disk space. 

Written EE articles and video here by me.

Part 15: HOW TO: Backup (Export) and Restore (Import) virtual machines to VMware vSphere Hypervisor 7.0 for FREE

https://www.experts-exchange.com/videos/79094/HOW-TO-Backup-Export-and-Restore-Import-virtual-machines-to-VMware-vSphere-Hypervisor-7-0-for-FREE.html

But if you already have a backup, you can just restore, does not take as much effort, because you have to Wait to Export and Impiort.

You also need to turn off vCenter Server to do the export. and to be honest with you, it's not the best method of backup and restore! (also export and import is  a little hit and miss and buggy these days!)

QQ - so if I were do a backup/restore of the vCenter appliance, don't I have to remove the VM appliance from the original host (remove from inventory) or just shut down the that host, then restore the appliance to the target host, then log into the host UI, then add to inventory, then start it from the host UI?

If all of the host are able to communicate with each other, please then yes that would be an issue. You could just rename it before you shut it down. That just changes the display name.

1. Shutdown vCenter Server.

2. Remove from Inventory.

3. Add to new Host Inventory via what every mechanism you have available.

4. Power on vCenter Server.

5. When vCenter Server starts it will update the inventory.

6. Done.

I am in the vCenter UI when doing the shutdown?  Won't my vCenter UI be unavailable to do the remove?

Connect direct to the host it's hosted on!

Shutdown vCenter Server from that host, and remove from Inventory.

Yes was able to make the move.  It is unregister and then register, then "I moved it" option.  We are good, Thanks Andrew!

I have just completed a video for EE  on this very subject!