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3999
Using VPLEX as a storage migration tool
Hi,
Would it be possible to use a VPLEX as a migration tool but not have the host connected to the VPLEX at all?
So lets say I have a ESX host with VM's using RDM's connected to a IBM V7000. I want to migrate them to a EMC VNX2, but I don't have the VPLEX licensing to host all of the storage.
Would I be able to leave the ESX host connected to the IBM V7000.
Connect the LUNs to the VPLEX while they are connected to the ESX host.
Connect the the target LUNs of the EMC VNX2 to the VPLEX.
Use the Data Mobility to mirror the data from the V7000 to the VNX2.
Shutdown the VM with the RDM and remove the RDM from the VM.
Commit the Data Mobility Job.
Remove the VNX2 LUN from VPLEX
Attach the new VNX2 LUN to the ESX host.
Finally attach the RDM to the VM and power on.
Thanks
Colin
1gar2nMRBp12266
14 Posts
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April 7th, 2015 08:00
Hi Colin,
Your proposed procedure will *not* work due to the fact that the host is sending writes (making changes) to blocks of storage on V7000 after VPLEX has copied those blocks to the VNX2. The VPLEX does not receive the new host writes and the data you end up with on the VNX2 will be inconsistent / corrupted / unusable. If the ESXi host and/or corresponding VM's are not writing data to the V7000 (aka making changes to the disk) then the scenario you describe would likely work. To guarantee success you'd want the datastore or RDM to be unmounted prior to performing the mobility as you've described it.
Note: If the V7000 was encapsulated through VPLEX, then you could perform the migration using mobility central without any issues.
Regards,
-Don
kumarsanjayyada
24 Posts
0
April 7th, 2015 09:00
Data Migration through VPLEX is possible even without adding your hosts into it. It is completely non-disruptive to any layered devices, and completely transparent.
But in above practise you would required more application downtime! Better to go ahead with the encapsulation process which required less application downtime,then you can perform the migration using mobility central without any issues.
rhiaanon48
14 Posts
0
April 7th, 2015 10:00
Hello. Has anyone migrated from another storage vendor using vplex to VNX? If so could you give an overview of the process? Thanks!
Colin2015
10 Posts
0
April 7th, 2015 10:00
Thanks Don for your information. So it will work, but it's a offline migration for the duration. Thanks for all others that replied.
kumarsanjayyada
24 Posts
1
April 7th, 2015 22:00
Hi,Yes! Done migration from NetApp to EMC VMAX3.
1) Connect/Zone VPLEX BE Port with the FA Port of Third Party Or EMC Storage.
2) Unmask/Unmap the Luns from the hosts and present the same luns through the VPLEX to the hosts (Presenting through VPLEX you would need to zone/connect the hosts with VPLEX FA Ports).
3) Once the luns presented from third party or emc storage to VPLEX! Discover your array on VPLEX.
Process Like :- Storage Volumes----Extents----Devices---Virtual Volumes----Storage View
Note :- All extents/devices/virtual volumes should be created with same size as your luns/devices has data on it.
Once all done you can run your application with the luns presented through Vplex.
Migration task you can perform at any point of time after the above tasks completed! YOUR hosts will never know what is happening in background...It is completely non-disruptive!
1) Create the same size of luns on the EMC array if you are migrating from 3rd Party to EMC and present them to the VPLEX.
2) Create the same size of devices as source luns/devices and then perform device to device migration in Vplex.
Once migration done you will see the changes in Virtual Volume (that will automatically rename with new luns name).
No action required from hosts end! (At any point of time you can migrate your storage vise versa)
rhiaanon48
14 Posts
0
April 13th, 2015 20:00
Thank you very much! I greatly appreciate the information!!!