Replacing a vCenter Server for a file service enabled cluster

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

With FS enabled cluster, if the hosts are moved into one new vCenter Server, the FSVMs will not be treated as a VM agent. It may be moved by HA/DRS. When it is moved to other hosts, the containers served by the hosts are not able to access the local VDFS. Further, the file service is not considered as enabled from the new vCenter perspective. All file service operations will be not allowed.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Resolution

If the old vCenter Server is still working:

1. Disable file service first.
2. Move the hosts/cluster into the new vCenter Server.
3. Re-enable file service with exactly the same config as the old vCenter Server.

If the old vCenter Server is unavailable:

1. Move the hosts/cluster into the new vCenter Server.
2. If new VC is before 7.0 U3,
   1. Check the VMs list on each ESXi Host
   2. Destroy the VMs with "vSAN File Service Node ..." name pattern.
3. Re-enable file service with the exact same config as the old vCenter Server.