vRealize Automation - Migrate vCenter to vCSA

In this post we will see how to migrate Windows based vCenter to vCSA ( vCenter Server Appliance) which is used as backend for vRealize Automation ( formally known as vCAC).

Currently most of the organization are using Windows based vCenter (vCS) as a backend for vRealize Automation.  We will use VMware’s vCS to vCSA convertor to migrate Windows vCenter 5.5 to vCSA 5.5 and then will upgrade vCSA 5.5 to vCSA 6.0 update 2.

Test setup -

• vCenter Server 5.5 – all vCenter components running on same Windows system
• vRealize automation 6.2.2.0 – distributed installation of vRA components like app server, iaas, proxy, manager servers….etc. vRealize has its own SSO server.
• vRealize Orchestrator 6.0.3
• Make sure your test setup is similar to your production setup and works fine– off course with couple of ESXi Host and VMs. Nested ESXi will also work.

So Before we make any changes in Production, we need to test everything in Test Environment.

As per VMware documents during vCS to vCSA migration it will preserve vCenter's UUID, MoRef and all ESXi Host, Clusters, VM, datastore, Network should be same for vRA to work post migration.

Migration Task –

Before making changes in production setup, take backup of all required servers, DB so that we can revert back to old working state if we run in to any issues.

• Backup vRA DB
• Shutdown all servers of vRealize Automation and vRO.
• Take snapshot of all vRA servers.
• Backup vCenter SQL DB
• Take snapshot of vCenter VM.

Migrate Windows based vCenter to vCenter Appliance ( vCS to vCSA Migration ) 

• Download vCenter to vCenter Application migration (vCS to vCSA ) Fling from VMware site.

https://labs.vmware.com/flings/vcs-to-vcva-converter

VCS Migration Appliance Document v0.9.1

• Deploy vCS to vCSA migration fling on vCenter or ESXi Host.
• Deploy vCenter 5.5 Appliance.
• Using Fling appliance do the migration from vCS to vCSA.
• Upgrade vCSA 5.5 to vCenter 6.x

Step by Step Process to Upgrade VCSA 5.5 to VCSA 6

• Make sure vCenter and all vCenter Components are running fine after upgrade.

Start vRealize automation -

• Start vRealize automation servers and vRO.
• Test vRealize functionality by deploying VMs, creating blueprint…..etc
• Test vRO.

if you face issue with vRO then remove vRO from vRA and add again or re-register vRO with vCenter.

 

Thanks…!