Virtual Machine moves

[mitel361]

Advise requested regarding moving VMs from one host to another. 

I have an MBG 11.x and MiCollab Server 9.3.x both Virtual Machines running on a Hyper-V Host (2012).  I plan to migrate the VMs to a new Hyper-V Host (2019).

My simple plan is to shutdown and export the VMs from the current host, then import into the new host.  No change in IP addresses; the new host will be on the same subnet along with Virtual Networks on the same subnet as used today.

Other than assigning the new Virtual Switches to the VMs I am not aware of any other actions that may be required.
Would a 'Static MAC Address' need to be updated?

Anything behind the scenes that I am not aware of such as some kind of 'fingerprint' at the AMC or somewhere else?

Thanks for any info.

[dilkie]

you'll need to clear the footprint in the amc.

no need to configure mac's, just run the console again (or log into admin in ssh) to re-create the network interfaces.

[mitel361]

Glad  I asked, appreciate the info.  However, in the Hyper-V settings - there is an entry for a Static MAC which the Virt Guide states to enable - and I currently have.  That's the MAC that I was referring too. 

You include to 're-create' network interfaces in the console.  Won't the network interfaces migrate over already?  I do see them in my test Hyper-V server after importing.

If this is a step that is required, do you have details on how to re-create? 

Keep in mind that I plan on importing using Hyper-V, I am not booting from a Mitel iso and performing a restore. 

Thanks again.

[lundah]

Honestly it would be easier for you to just install new VM's, put them on a temp. IP address, and restore from the currently running servers. Then the Mitel software handles all the data migration as it was designed to.

[dilkie]

indeed.. that's the best way... restore from backup.

if the mac's stay the same, then the network won't need to be configured again. if you start up a vm with different mac's, then msl needs you to run the console again to assign addresses to the interfaces.

I'm sometimes too lazy to do it right and just export and import a VM, but it does require one to reset the amc footprint. All methods do.

[mitel361]

Thank you both for that info, very helpful.  I will plan on a Mitel Restore to migrate to a new host. 

HOWEVER, I do need to better plan for recovery should I not be able to restore from a running VM.  My hosts are bullet proofed to an extent (dual power, RAID, etc.), but I am single threaded in that I will have only one host.

In the scenario where I would have imported using Hyper-V, I was missing some steps or not familiar with other steps.  Can you guide?
1. In Hyper-V, Import using Hyper-V
2. In Hyper-V assign the network interface(s) to the respective virtual networks
3. In Hyper-V, Networking for the vm, Set static MAC
4. In Hyper-V, Power up VM
5. In MSL, Log into the server console
6. ?  Not sure where to go next ?  Configure server and go through that setup?
7. ?  How do I reset the AMC footprint ? Is that simply running a Sync from the ServiceLink page?

Thanks again.

[Dogbreath]

HOWEVER, I do need to better plan for recovery should I not be able to restore from a running VM.

This is one of the great things about the "restore from running server" upgrade/migration process. If it goes wrong, you simply turn off the new instance and turn the old one back on.
I end up using this procedure even for what might be considered trivial updates, because it gives me an easy fallback position.

[mitel361]

Update.  I migrated one of my VMs (MBG 11.x) successfully; MiCollab 9.3.x Server is up next soon and will follow the same steps in Reply #5 (above).

Following the steps in Reply #5 worked fine. I migrated from Hyper-V 2012R2 to Hyper-V 2022.

The server powered up and no further steps were taken or necessary as the Licensing Center was also fine post migration.

This process proves this process as opposed to 'restore from running server' should there be no running server available. For an upgrade, I'll definitely 'restore from running server'.

After the MiCollab Server migration, I'll still have a MICC Server to also migrate.