This article assumes that you have read the vSphere 4.1 Upgrade Guide and have understood the risks associated with migrating your database. Ensure that you have made a full backup of the existing vCenter Server 4.0 database. For more information on backing up your database, see the Microsoft article How to: Back Up a Database (SQL Server Management Studio).
Note: The Data Migration Tool does not change the hostname or IP address of the target vCenter Server to match that of your existing vCenter Server. Services such as VMware HA and Update Manager expect the IP address and hostname to be the same. VMware recommends that you retain the existing hostname and IP address on the target vCenter Server when possible. If it is not possible to retain these settings, see vCenter Server IP address change causes ESX hosts to disconnect (1001493) and How to reconfigure Update Manager after a change of the vCenter Server IP Address (1014639).
To backup the database that you want to migrate:
- Open the folder datamigration on the root of the vCenter Server 4.1 installation media that you have downloaded from VMware.
- Copy the datamigration.zip file from that folder and extract it to the root of your C: drive.
- Click Start > Run, type services.msc, and click OK.
- Stop these services:
- VMware Update Manager Service
- VMware VirtualCenter Management Webservices
- VMware VirtualCenter Server Service
Note: For more information, see Stopping, starting, or restarting vCenter services (1003895).
- Click Start > Run, type cmd, and click OK.
- Type cd \datamigration to change to the datamigration folder.
- Run this command to copy the vSphere 4.0 configuration:
backup.bat
To finish migrating the database to the target server:
Note: Services need not be stopped on the target 64bit server, unless vCenter Server 4.1 has already been installed. If vCenter Server 4.1 is already installed, uninstall the existing installation and let the Data Migration Tool install vCenter Server 4.1 for you. Also, when performing a migration to the target server, a DSN is not automatically created. This must be manually created on the target server after the database is migrated. For more information, see the vSphere 4.1 Upgrade Guide.
- Copy the contents of the c:\datamigration folder from the existing vCenter Server to your target Windows 64bit server's C: drive in the same location.
- Mount the vSphere 4.1 installation media on your local CD-ROM drive.
Note: Close the autorun menu, if it opens. It is not necessary to complete the migration.
- ClickStart > Run, type cmd, and click OK.
- Type cd \datamigration to change to the datamigration folder.
- Run the following command to start the installation migration:
install.bat
Note: This script asks you for the vCenter Server installation media path.
- Follow the installation wizard.
