Advice copying VM's from Standalone ESXi to New cluster on different network.

[Titans99]

Hi All, I have about 20 VM's that need to be copied from a standalone ESXi 6 server with local storage... over to a new 4 node cluster w/ shared storage.  I think what I am struggling with is the single ESXi host service console is on a Different VLAN than the new cluster (the VM's have access to the same VLAN's on both sides).  Is there a way to do this directly from the ESXi host over to the new cluster?  Or is there a best practice to go about this?   I can take downtime on the VM's to get it done.

I've read a little about OVF Tool, and from what I understand, since it's integrated in to the client, I could use the VMware client to export from old, then Import on the new cluster.  It doesn't look like it would do a server-to-server copy like say an SCP copy would.

I thought about adding the single host to the new cluster and storage vMotion the VM's over from the local storage to the shared storage, but just not sure if that would work.  I assume I would have to change the service console IP on the single host, and also add a VMKernel for vMotion (which would require modifying the port trunks).

Any advice is appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Mike

[rcporto]

That standalone host are licensed? If yes, you can just add that host to vCenter management and you will be able to migrate virtual machines into the new cluster. BUT, some downtime may be required if physical CPU differs between your old host and the hosts of the new cluster. And do you have any chance to present your shared storage to that old host? If yes, that can speed up the migration, if not you can still migrate from the standalone host to the new cluster, but it will take some time and like I said before, downtime may be required.

[Titans99]

I think I will attempt to add the old host to vCenter although I will probably have to remove one of the new hosts temporarily to add it because it's not licensed.  The physical CPU's will be different as the old host is a DL380 G8 and the new hosts are DL380 G9's.  I cannot present the shared storage to the old host. 

So if I power off the VM's -> vMotion migrate -> verify VM settings (e.g. network) -> power on VM..... I should be okay yes?  Anything to watch our for?  These are all CentOS VM's.

[rcporto]

So if I power off the VM's -> vMotion migrate -> verify VM settings (e.g. network) -> power on VM..... I should be okay yes?  Anything to watch our for?  These are all CentOS VM's.

Once both hosts (old and new) are under the same vCenter, you will be able to migrate the virtual machines powered off without problems.