Move LVMoHBA shared storage repository between different pools or hosts with VM Metadata backup and restore

This can be useful when you have two different pools and you need to move the VM-s from source pool to detination pool.

For example your source production pool has an old XenServer version installed and you do not want to do a rolling pool upgrade.

Instead, you can forget and detach the shared SR from source pool and attach it on the new pool while preserving VM metadata.

To create and move a portable SR using the xsconsole and XenCenter

1. On the source host or pool, in xsconsole, select the Backup, Restore, and Update menu option, select
the Backup Virtual Machine Metadata option, and then select the desired SR.

2. In XenCenter, select the source host or pool and shutdown all running VMs with VDIs on the SR to
be moved.

3. In the tree view select the SR to be moved and select Storage > Detach Storage Repository. The
Detach Storage Repository menu option will not be displayed if there are running VMs with VDIs on
the selected SR. After being detached the SR will be displayed in a grayed-out state.
Warning
Do not complete this step unless you have created a backup VDI in step 1.

4. Select Storage > Forget Storage Repository to remove the SR record from the host or pool.

5. Select the destination host in the tree view and select Storage > New Storage Repository.

6. Create a new SR with the appropriate parameters required to reconnect the existing SR to the destination
host. In the case of moving a SR between pools or hosts within a site the parameters may be
identical to the source pool.

7. Every time a new SR is created the storage is checked to see if it contains an existing SR. If so, an option
is presented allowing re-attachment of the existing SR. If this option is not displayed the parameters
specified during SR creation are not correct.

8. Select Reattach.

9. Select the new SR in the tree view and then select the Storage tab to view the existing VDIs present
on the SR.

10. In xsconsole on the destination host, select the Backup, Restore, and Update menu option, select the
Restore Virtual Machine Metadata option, and select the newly re-attached SR.

11. The VDIs on the selected SR are inspected to find the metadata VDI. Once found, select the metadata
backup you want to use.

12. Select the Only VMs on this SR option to restore the VMs.
Note
Use the All VM Metadata option when moving multiple SRs between hosts or pools, or when using tiered
storage where VMs to be restored have VDIs on multiple SRs. When using this option ensure all required
SRs have been reattached to the destination host prior running the restore.

13. The VMs are restored in the destination pool in a shutdown state and are available for use.

One thought on “Move LVMoHBA shared storage repository between different pools or hosts with VM Metadata backup and restore

  1. Antonio says:

    I have one question: The version of the old Pool and the new Pool must be the same?

    In my proof of concept i have 1 XenServer 5.6 SP2 with XenDesktop, Domain Controller, Provisioning Services, Target Devices and 2 Pooled VM with MCS. For these VMs i have 3 LUNs

    The destination Pool are 2 XenServer 6.2 SP1 with HA (Heartbeat) and the 2 hosts have Multipathing activate.

    I make a Backup of Metadata on LUN3 for all VMs (All VMs are shutdown). Metadata backup finish successfully.

    I use the options Dettach and Forget for the LUNs in XS56, later i Attach the same LUNs (sequentially) on Pool XS62, in this point all is alright, i can view the storage details and VDI disks for each LUN.

    In the Master Pool XS62 i run the backup Metadata saved in the LUN3, but some VMs giving errors:

    “The VM could not be imported”
    “The VM cannot be imported unforced because it is either the same version or an older version of an existing VM”

    Error image is here: http://discussions.citrix.com/topic/314799-metadata-restore-failure/

    Some VMs are imported and can start but other can not start, i have this error:

    “XENUTIL.SYS Address base at DateStamp

    Error image is here: https://www.google.com.ni/search?q=xenutil.sys+crashes&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=AWbBVOzvIqaIsQSn2ICADw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=1#imgdii=_&imgrc=Oaw5rCdwR91hrM%253A%3Bvh1Mf2_9W6THOM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmarkmail.org%252Fdownload.xqy%253Fid%253D5jk2z3kzk5yswdln%2526number%253D2%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmarkmail.org%252Fmessage%252F5jk2z3kzk5yswdln%3B640%3B480

    Thanks for the help, regards!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You must enable javascript to see captcha here!