Creating a cluster

Riccochet

Riccochet

Fully [H]
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
29,906
We need to add our production VM's to a cluster. Can this be done during the day? Will this affect the VM's availability and disrupt accessibility by our clients? Or should we wait until the evening to do this? My google-fu only turns up answers on the actual creating of the cluster, but not what actually happens once you click OK.
 
You should be able to add to a cluster during the day. I looked at the article and they were turning on EVC though.
 
Sorry, ESXi 5.1.

This isn't adding to a cluster. This is creating a cluster. As in, no cluster currently exists. So, all hosts will need to be added to the new cluster I plan on creating. Will this cause downtime?
 
Creating a cluster in vCenter is nothing more than creating an object in the vCenter database. - zero impact -

Adding a host to a cluster "should be" zero down time and zero impact. Things that may cause issues: (but shouldn't)
- The host must "install" and elect an HA Master (if HA is enabled for the cluster)
- DRS could see resources need "balancing" which will create some vmotions.
- EVC mode could impact things (if enabled)
- Any resource pools you created on the cluster could impact the hosts and vms placed into that pool. (if you didn't make any, you should be fine)

But nothing "should" impact any working VM, its network traffic, or resources.
An esx host will continue to run everything in a stand-alone mode until something like HA or DRS settings attempt to "do" something to the host.

Nicholas Farmer
 
Should be fine. Are the servers the same CPU? I ask for vMotion compatibility..but yes, you can throw them in a cluster with no disruption to the VMs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top