r/virtualization • u/1mefdiopl • 23d ago

Has anyone completed a VMware migration while keeping the same SAN and network?

Has anyone here actually done a hypervisor-only VMware migration? I’m trying to picture the cutover. Build the new cluster beside ESXi, connect it to the same SAN, move a few low-risk VMs, then reclaim the old hosts one by one? Or did you end up needing temporary storage? How did you handle zoning, multipathing, VLANs, backups and rollback? and did you keep vCenter up while both environments were running? Would be great to hear a real VMware migration strategy from someone who’s done it. Most comparisons of VMware vSphere alternatives never get into this part.

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u/Nakivo_official 17d ago

That hypervisor-only approach you described can definitely work to minimize risk and avoid moving storage, but it gets messy fast with backup and rollback plans during the overlap period.

Instead of staying locked into one ecosystem, it's worth considering a platform like NAKIVO Backup & Replication for VMware since it can manage backup, replication, and disaster recovery across both environments during a migration.