The new feature in vSphere 6.5 facilitates seamless migration from Windows vCenter Server to vCenter server appliance. In this migration, it allows you to upgrade from Windows vCenter 5.5 or 6.0 to vCenter Server Appliance 6.5. The migration path to Windows vCenter Server 6.0 with MS SQL (MS SQL Express or any other supported version of MS SQL) to vCenter Server 6.5 supports embedded database Postgresql
During the migration process, the identity of source Windows vCenter Server is preserved. This includes but not limited to IP address, FQDN, UUID, certificates. The migration tool will automatically migrate the vCenter Server configuration, inventory, and alarm date. There is an option to also migrate stats, events, tasks and performance.
Download VMware migration assistant from the below url.
https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=VC650A&productId=615
Double-click migration-Assistants.exe, to start the migration process.
Type the machine’s Administrator Password then Enter…
Note: Not CLOSE this console until the migration is Complete.
Now see the vCenter Server Appliance Installer UI and Select Migrate Option then Click.
Migrating from Windows to vCenter Server to Appliance is a two stages process. On the first stage you are deploying the appliance and on Second stage you are configuring the appliance.
Read and accept the license to continue.
Click the Next.
Enter the Source Windows vCenter Server details Fully Qualified domain name ( FQDN ) or IP address and vSphere Single sign-On Password. Click Next.
Accept an SSL SHA1 Certificate to continue, Click Yes.
Enter the fully qualified domain name ( FQDN ) of the vSphere ESXi Host and its Username & Password where you want to deploy the vCenter server appliance.
Accept the SSL SHA1 to continue, Click Yes.
Enter the target appliance VM name and root password. Click Next.
Now we select deployment size as small and storage size as default.
Select Datastore to install the vCenter server appliance in the ESXi host.
Enter temporary IP address, subnet mask, gateway and DNS Click Next.
See the above information of stage 1 summary settings click the finish to start the Deployment.
Stage 2 Introduction page Click Next.
Credential details for Source vCenter Server 6.0 to connect, Click Next.
On Select migrate data step, select “Configuration” which is the default. Other options are:
- Configuration, events and tasks
- Configuration, events, tasks and performance metrics. Click Next to continue
On next screen, you will get VMware Customer Experience Improvement.program page. Click Next.
Provides final confirmation details, and on clicking Finish, appliance setup progress will start as in the picture.
The process will copy data from source vCenter Server to target vCenter Server, setup target vCenter Server and start its services and finally import copied data to target vCenter Server.
Conclusion:
Thus, vCenter Server on Windows environment is migrated to vCenter server appliance using VMware migration assistant tool. This will help an IT Admin on reducing windows license and easy to manage all ESXi hosts from the appliance itself.
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