How to Safely Decommission a Host from a vCenter Cluster?

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Asked By TechieWizard99 On

I'm looking for some guidance on decommissioning a host from my simple 2-host vCenter cluster that utilizes shared iSCSI LUNs/datastores. I've already migrated all VMs to the second host, and Host 1 (the one I'm removing) is currently in maintenance mode. Both datastores have active VMs, but none are registered to the host I'm decommissioning. I don't have any distributed switches to worry about, but I'm facing issues when trying to remove the storage devices. I suspect I need to remove the datastores first.

I'm thinking of disabling cluster services to stop the vCLS VMs using Retreat Mode, and then disconnecting the datastores followed by the storage devices. I plan to ensure that this won't disrupt any data or VMs on the remaining host. Can anyone confirm if I'm on the right path? Is this approach safe? My ultimate goal is to remove the first host, leave everything running on one host, and then later migrate those VMs to a new hypervisor. Any insights would be really appreciated!

5 Answers

Answered By CloudSurfer88 On

Running production with just one host definitely raises some concerns. If that lone host goes down, what's the fallback plan? It's worth considering the business impact of such a downtime before proceeding, especially with a backup appliance just in case.

Answered By VirtualGuru42 On

Honestly, if you're comfortable with it, just shutting down the first host can be the simplest method. Once your migrations are done, then you can turn off the second host too. It sounds like a solid plan if your end goal is to eventually dismantle the entire cluster and repurpose the hardware.

Answered By VM_exec87 On

It seems like the reason your storage removal fails might be tied to vCenter managing the datastores for cluster heartbeats. If you turn off those high availability settings, that should allow you to disconnect safely. Just make sure you take note of any commands you might need to deal with data stores since they're important. Moving forward with only one node is generally fine, but any issues with it could compound your troubles, so keep that in mind when you’re making your decisions.

Answered By iSCSI_Nerd On

Since you have an iSCSI SAN, you usually can remove a host from a 2-node cluster once it's in maintenance mode. You should be able to drag it out of the cluster and remove it from inventory without too much hassle. Just don't forget to handle the storage mappings afterward.

Answered By BackupMaster6000 On

Seems like you've got a handle on things, especially with HA turned off. Just be cautious while you’re removing extra nodes. If you've managed to migrate most VMs already and you're equipped with a new cluster node, you should be set as long as you're aware of the risks during this transition period.

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