Migration from VMware ESXi
Mapa Europy (nakładka)

Migration from VMware ESXi

Virtual Infrastructure Migration from VMware ESXi to Proxmox VE

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Project Summary and Objectives:

This project involved the complete migration of all virtual machines (VMs) from the company's VMware ESXi 8.0.3 virtualization platform to the open-source and flexible Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) 8.4.0. The primary objective was a strategic platform shift to optimize management, increase flexibility, and implement a new, simplified backup scheme. The project was successfully completed, ensuring full operational continuity for all services.

Configuration of ESXi

Host

Host

Virtual machines

VMs

Network config

Network

VMLAN connections

VMLAN

VM Network connections

VM Network

Strategy and Execution Stages:

1. Phase I – Preparation and Initial Migration DONE
  • Connection Verification: The project began by successfully testing a direct connection from a Proxmox server to the VMware ESXi host, which validated the chosen migration path.
  • Direct VM Import: All virtual machines were migrated via a direct import from the live ESXi server to a temporary staging server. This approach allowed for data transfer without shutting down the main production server at this stage.
2. Phase II – Primary Host Overhaul DONE
  • This was the key and most critical phase of the project. After securing all VMs on the temporary server, the main production server was shut down, and the existing VMware ESXi system was replaced with a clean installation of Proxmox VE 8.4.0.
3. Phase III – Finalization and Production Go-Live DONE
  • VM Transfer: All previously migrated virtual machines were moved from the temporary server to the newly installed production Proxmox host.
  • Operational Validation: All machines were booted in the new environment, and their full functionality and correct operation were confirmed, successfully concluding the migration process.
4. Phase IV – Post-Migration Configuration and Optimization DONE
  • Guest Agent Installation: The qemu-guest-agent was installed and enabled on all migrated virtual machines, which significantly improved communication between the VMs and the hypervisor and enabled advanced management features.
  • Security Hardening: The built-in firewall on the Proxmox VE host was implemented and configured to secure the entire virtual infrastructure.

Configuration of Proxmox

Host

Host

Virtual machines

VMs

Network config

Network

Backup Strategy Redesign:

The initial plan involved deploying a dedicated Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) on a separate machine. However, after analysis, a decision was made to revise this strategy (the PBS installation RESIGNED). A simpler and more direct solution was implemented, where regular, automated backups of all virtual machines were configured to run directly to a NAS server located on the office network.

Outcome:

The project resulted in the successful and complete migration of the entire virtual infrastructure to the Proxmox VE platform. All objectives were achieved, including the deployment of a flexible, open-source environment and the implementation of a new, effective backup strategy.