Steps to Introduce a New Host on a VMware infrastructure

This is the procedure I followed when replacing my old VM hosts with new server (different specs to new hosts)

1. Remove all server from vCenter
1. Vacate the VMs from one of the old servers
2. Shutdown the server and remove from rack
3. Remove the host from vCenter
2. Install new server on Rack
1. Connect only the power, video, and key/mouse cables
2. Boot up new server
3. Assign Management Interface
1. Connect the Management interface ethernet cable to one of the ports
2. Logon to ESX console, then press F2 to configure
3. Replace the default blank password
4. Go to Network Management
1. Assign IP address
2. Assign DNS server
3. Assign the Network Interface (there should be only one connected at this point)
4. If you would like multiple interfaces, connect them physically and assign one at a time
4. Add host to vCenter then go to the host
5. Click Configuration -> Time Configuration -> set the correct time and point to a valid NTP server
6. Click Configuration ->  Software\AdvanceSettings 
1. look for Syslog \ global
2. Change the Syslog.global.logDir value to a valid folder. ex, [Datastore]\logs
7. Click Configuration -> Networking
1. vSwitch0. Add your redundant ports to the vSwitch
2. vSwitch1. 
1. Create a new vKernel Switch and add the ports that connect to your Storage system
2. Change the IP Storage ports so that each port has only 1 Active Adapter assigned to it (under the NIC Teaming tab). The rest of the adapters should fall under Unused Adapted. This is need to do SCSI port binding. IF there are 4 ethernet adapters, there has to be 4 SCSI ports
3. vSwitch2.
1. Create a new vKernel Switch for vMotion. Click Yes on "use for vMotion"
2. Add network adapters (NIC-teamed)
4. vSwitch3.
1. Create a new Virtual Machine Switch for DMZ.
2. Add network adapters (NIC-teamed) 
8.  Click Configuration -> Storage Adapters
1. iSCSI Software Adapater
1. Add a new software iSCSI Adapter
2. take note of the generate iSCSI name, something like iqn.1998-01.com.vmware:{hostname}-7d68d23a
3. Add this hostname to the Volume Access permissions on your EqualLogic server
1. click on Volume name, goto Acces tab, click Add
2. Choose Limit access to iSCSI initiator name, then enter the iSCSI name.
3. Set apply to 'volume & snapshots'
4. go back to vCenter client
5. Right click on the newly created iSCSI Software Adapter then click Properties
6. go to Network Configuration tab
1. Add the network adapters from vSwitch 1. If there is none available, check vSwitch1 configuration. Each port should have only 1 adapter (ie, not teamed).
7. go to Dynamic Discovery tab
1. Add the IP address of the EqualLogic server
9. Start moving the Virtual Machines from the remaining old servers to this new server. 
10. Repeat the steps for the rest of the servers.

Note, if vCenter doesn't allow some VMs to be migrated online due to different specs, create a new Cluster and turn on EVC. Move the new server to that cluster then re-try migrating the VMs.

1. Done.
2.