Migrating a virtual machine

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This topic describes how to migrate a virtual machine from one host to another by using PowerVC. PowerVC supports hot migration and cold migration. The hot migration means that the virtual machine is migrated while it is running. The cold migration means that the virtual machine is migrated when it is shut off. You can choose a different host in the host group to migrate the virtual machine to or you can let the host be chosen by the host group's placement policy. If you want to migrate the virtual machine to a host on a different host group, then you can do so by selecting the host group and the host to which the virtual machine must be migrated.

Before you begin

Before you attempt to migrate a virtual machine, you must ensure that both the source and destination hosts and the virtual machine meet the requirements for the type of migration that you want to do.

To migrate a virtual machine, select the virtual machine that you want to migrate and click Migrate.

Notes:
  • If the following error message appears, you can ignore it as the migration completes successfully regardless of the error.
    # 0513-029 The isakmpd Subsystem is already active.
Multiple instances are not supported.
...

    To avoid this error, install Kerberos on the Virtual I/O Server.

  • If the virtual machine has initiator port groups (IPGs) that are allocated to a storage connectivity group (SCG) tagged in PowerVC and an out-of-band Live Partition Migration (LPM) operation is carried out, the virtual machine at the destination system might not align with the IPGs. In this case PowerVC cannot detect the IPG conflict. Also, any attach operation post an out-of-band LPM operation might create an additional virtual Fibre Channel (VFC) adapter. To avoid these issues, make sure that the out-of-band LPM operation selects the port that is aligned with IPG. If an out-of-band LPM operation is carried out without IPG alignment, performing an additional LPM operation from PowerVC before you attach the storage realigns the IPG assignments.
Migrating virtual machines (VMs) across host groups
You can migrate a VM to any compatible host even if the VM is in a different host group. To perform this task in the PowerVC GUI, perform these steps.
  1. Go to Virtual machines > VM list.
  2. Select the VM, click the three dots, then select Migrate from the drop-down.
  3. In the Migrate VM pop-up screen, click the Allow migration across host groups toggle. Enabling the toggle changes the toggle name to VM migration across host groups is allowed.
  4. Select the Target host group from the drop-down, then select the Target host from the drop-down, and click Migrate.