vMotion w/Affinity Rules

[bigdogchris]

I have a few application servers I keep together with affinity rules. When I try to put a host into maintenance mode it won't vMotion the servers. The affinity needs to be broken first.

Is there a way to vMotion servers that are tied w/Affinity rules without having to disable it? Sounds simple to me I'm sure I'm overlooking something simple. BTW still using vSphere client, don't slap me.

 

[peanuthead]

There is something in your rules that violates vmotion. Without knowing your rules it's hard to decipher.

 

[bigdogchris]

There is something in your rules that violates vmotion. Without knowing your rules it's hard to decipher.

The rules are just keep VM's together. Is there a better way to handle it?

 

[peanuthead]

Are you able to screen shot the rules and post them here? Are you running an affinity or anti-affinity rules? Do you have any VM-Host Affinity rules?

 

[bigdogchris]

It's just affinity rules "Keep vm's together" and you add in the VMs.

 

[Nate7311]

Are there enough resources on any other host to hold all associated VMs?

 

[bigdogchris]

Yes

 

[DermicSavage]

Just to clarify here, can you manually vMotion the VMs? Only DRS and HA follow the affinity rules. You can choose to force the VM off without relying on DRS to do it for you. If a manual move fails then that shows you the issue is something else.

Otherwise, your affinity rules are conflicting another set of rules and DRS is refusing to comply. THis requires a complete review of your rules and total hosts in the cluster to really give a solid answer

 

[geiger]

Instead of using the keep VMs together rule try a host affinity rule with the "should keep VMs together". This will allow the VMs to migrate off during patching, then migrate back when the host exits maintenance mode.

 

[QHalo]

Must vs Should