How to Configure Per-VM Enhanced vMotion Compatibility in vSphere 8.0

Products

• VMware vSphere Standard

Issue/Introduction

In VMware vSphere, users may need to migrate virtual machines (VMs) between ESXi hosts utilizing different generations of CPU hardware. Configuring Per-VM Enhanced vMotion Compatibility (EVC) assigns specific CPU feature baselines to individual virtual machines, allowing seamless live vMotion operations across disparate host CPU architectures without requiring a guest operating system shutdown, provided the target baseline is lower or equal to the source capabilities.

Environment

 VMware vSphere 8.x

 

Cause

Standard deployment requirements for cross-generational hardware cluster migrations and infrastructure modernization strategies.

Resolution

Power off the virtual machine if you are downgrading the EVC mode. (Note: If you are enabling EVC for the first time or raising the EVC mode baseline, the virtual machine can remain powered on).

• Log in to the vCenter Server via the vSphere Client.
• Navigate to the target virtual machine within the inventory tree.
• Right-click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings.
• Select the VM Options tab and expand the General Options subsection.
• Locate the VMware EVC section and select the checkbox to Enable EVC.
• Select the appropriate CPU baseline from the EVC Mode drop-down menu.
• Click OK to commit and save the configuration changes.

Additional Information

Per-VM EVC configuration details can be validated against the official domain documentation.