Cross vCenter Migration and Clone requirements in VMware vSphere 6.x and later
Article ID: 344959
Updated On:
Products
VMware vCenter Server
Issue/Introduction
VMware vSphere 6.0 and later versions adds new functionality that lets you migrate virtual machines between vCenter Server instances. This article outlines the requirements to use this feature.
Note: Per the below, source and destination vCenters should be on the same version. Check the tables accordingly for details.
Note: For vSphere 7.0 U1c and later versions, you can use The Advanced Cross vCenter Server vMotion (XVM) capability
The Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion feature in vSphere 7.0 U1c is only supported between vSphere (vCenter and ESXi) instances 6.5 or greater, and it is not supported with any builds of vSphere 6.0, for more information, see Import or Clone a Virtual Machine with Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion
Note: Per the below, source and destination vCenters should be on the same version. Check the tables accordingly for details.
Note: For vSphere 7.0 U1c and later versions, you can use The Advanced Cross vCenter Server vMotion (XVM) capability
The Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion feature in vSphere 7.0 U1c is only supported between vSphere (vCenter and ESXi) instances 6.5 or greater, and it is not supported with any builds of vSphere 6.0, for more information, see Import or Clone a Virtual Machine with Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion
Environment
VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
Resolution
Cross vCenter Migration and Clone requirements:
Pre-requisites:
To enable migration across vCenter Server instances, your environment must meet these requirements:- The source and destination vCenter Server instances and ESXi hosts must be running version 6.0 or later.
- The cross vCenter Server and long distance vMotion features require an Enterprise Plus license. For more information, see Compare vSphere Editions.
- When using the vSphere Web Client, both vCenter Server instances must be in Enhanced Linked Mode and must be in the same vCenter Single Sign-On domain so that the source vCenter Server can authenticate to the destination vCenter Server.
- When using the GUI (webclient) ELM (same SSO Domain) is required
- When using sdk/api/PowerCLI ELM (same SSO Domain) is NOT required
- Both vCenter Server instances must be time-synchronized with each other for correct vCenter Single Sign-On token verification.
- For migration of compute resources only, both vCenter Server instances must be connected to the shared virtual machine storage.
- When using the vSphere APIs/SDK, both vCenter Server instances may exist in separate vSphere Single Sign-On domains. Additional parameters are required when performing a non-federated cross vCenter Server vMotion. The Move-VM cmdlet as of PowerCLI 6.5 supports both federated and non-federated Cross vCenter Server vMotion. For more information, see the VirtualMachineRelocateSpec section in the vSphere Management SDK Guide.
Network Port Requirements
- 8000 and 902 for vMotion and NFC between ESXi
- 902 for NFC on the ESXi host's Management subnet in case of Cross-vCenter vMotion, or cold migration (unless there is a dedicated subnet and vmkernel port)
- 443 between both vCenter Servers
- 443 between vCenter Server and the ESXi server (this is a requirement to have the ESXi host added to vCenter Servers)
Supported vMotion, cold migrate, and cloning configurations:
| Source vCenter Server | Destination vCenter Server | Clone Virtual Machine | Cold Migrate Virtual Machine | vMotion Virtual Machine |
| vSphere 6.0 GA | vSphere 6.0 GA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | vSphere 6.0 GA | No | No | No |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | vSphere 6.0 GA | No | No | No |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | vSphere 6.0 GA | No | No | No |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | No | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | No | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | No | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | vSphere 6.0 GA | No | No | No |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | vSphere 6.0 GA | No | No | No |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | Not Tested | Not Tested | Not Tested | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | vSphere 6.0 GA | No | No | No |
| vSphere 6.0 U1 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U2 | No | No | No | |
| vSphere 6.0 U3 | No | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 GA | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| vSphere 6.5 U2 and later* | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Virtual Machine Networking Migration
| Source Type | Destination Type | Supported |
| Distributed Switch | Distributed Switch | Yes |
| Distributed Switch | Standard Switch | No |
| Standard Switch | Standard Switch | Yes |
| Standard Switch | Distributed Switch | Yes |
Notes:
- * This includes all VMware Cloud on AWS versions and vSphere 6.7 and later
- VMs that require encrypted vMotion cannot use vMotion with a destination vCenter version prior to vSphere 6.5 GA.
- VMs that use vSphere HA restart priority properties introduced in vSphere 6.5 cannot use vMotion and cold relocate with a destination vCenter version prior to vSphere 6.5 GA
- vSphere Encryption is not supported with cross vCenter Server vMotioning and cloning of virtual machines for vSphere 6.7 and earlier.
- vSphere Encryption is supported through API on vSphere 7.0. For more information, see Encrypted vSphere vMotion.
- Cross vCenter Server vMotion is not supported with 3rd party switches.
Metadata migration during Cross vCenter Migration
Metadata that is migrated
- Snapshots and Hierarchy (including notes) : If disk consolidation is specified using a DiskMoveOption, specifically moveAllDiskBackingsAndConsolidate, when a clone or relocate API call is made, then VM snapshots are not moved as consolidation occurs otherwise, snapshots are moved.
- Per VM Configuration:
- Notes : This is part of the VM config, so it will stay with the VM.
- Reservations : Memory and swap reservations are moved.
- NIOC (Pool, Priority, Reservation) : Reservations, limits, and shares (RLS) are moved. Pool or priority is uncertain.
- SIOC (Shares, Limits) : It is a per-virtual disk setting, which is migrated along with the VM.
- Advanced Settings : This is part of the VM config, so it will stay with the VM.
- EVC Mode : Per-EVC settings will be retained (introduced in vSphere 6.7).
- Latency Sensitivity : This is part of the VM config, so it will stay with the VM.
- If the following vCenter configuration elements exist on the destination vCenter (regardless of SSO):
- Custom Attributes
- Permissions: Access control settings for users and groups in vCenter.
- vSphere Cluster Overrides (everything mentioned below) : Per-VM DRS settings are migrated during xVC-vMotion, including DRS enablement, DRS mode (manual, partial, full automated), VM affinity/anti-affinity rules. Same applies to HA. The per VM HA overrides are carried over during migration. For vSphere 6.5 and above, the per VM orchestration settings are also carried over
- vSphere DRS:
- Enablement
- Automation Level
- Affinity and Anti-affinity Rules
- vSphere HA
- VM Restart Priority
- Start Next Priority
- Additional Delay
- VM Dependency Restart Condition Timeout
- PDL
- Failure Response
- APD
- Failure Response
- VM Failover Delay
- Response Recovery
- VM Monitoring
- vSphere DRS:
Metadata that is not migrated
- Tasks
- Events
- If vCenter definitions does not exist on the destination vCenter (regardless of SSO)
- vSphere Tags
- Custom Attributes
- Permissions
- vCenter per VM Performance History : this is local to the VC, you will get new stats once it lands on the new VC.
- vCenter Server Folder : This does not move, this is a VC Object. You place VMs into a Folder, so it does not get moved. You can specify a new Folder in the new VC.
- vApp Membership : Membership is not moved to the new VC.
- Per VM Configuration
Additional Information
For more information, see:
About cross vCenter Server vMotion:
- The Network Compatibility Checks During vMotion Between vCenter Server Instances section in the vCenter Server and Host Management Guide.
- The MAC Address Management During Migration Between vCenter Server Systems section in the vCenter Server and Host Management Guide.
About installing vCenter Server in Enhanced Linked Mode:
- Using Enhanced Linked Mode section in the vCenter Server Host Management Guide.
About the other new vMotion feature in vSphere 6.0
For other related information, see:
- vMotion between VDS/VSS and N-VDS (NSX-T switch)
- VMware vSphere 6.5 Release Notes.
- Long Distance vMotion requirements in VMware vSphere 6.0
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