Renaming a VMware vSphere Cluster

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• In a VMware vSphere environment, administrators may need to rename a cluster to align with new naming conventions, reflect organizational changes, or improve inventory management.
• Renaming a cluster is a metadata-only change within the vCenter Server database. While the operation is non-disruptive to virtual machine workloads, it is important to understand how this change affects external integrations and management tools.

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESX
• VMware vCenter Server

Resolution

The process of renaming a cluster is straightforward and can be performed while all services are active.

Procedure

1. Log in to the vSphere Client with administrative privileges.
2. Navigate to the Hosts and Clusters view.
3. Locate the cluster you wish to rename in the Inventory Tree.
4. Right-click the cluster object and select Rename.
5. Type the New Name for the cluster and click OK.

Additional Information

Impact:

• Zero Downtime: No impact on running VMs, DRS, or HA.
• vSAN: If vSAN is enabled, the cluster's internal UUID remains the same; only the display name changes.
• External Tools: Any third-party scripts, backup software, or automation (like vRealize Automation) that reference the cluster by its string name must be updated.
• NSX: There is no impact on NSX prepared clusters.