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Deleting ESXi servers from VCF for Classic - Automated instances

Deleting ESXi servers from VCF for Classic - Automated instances

You can contract the capacity of your VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Automated instance according to your business needs by deleting VMware ESXi™ servers.

Before you delete ESXi servers from Automated instances

  • Deleting ESXi servers from instances with VMware vSphere® 6 is not supported.
  • For the gateway cluster, you cannot add or delete ESXi servers.

Whenever possible, remove ESXi servers by using the IBM Cloud® for VMware Solutions console because changes that you make on the VMware vSphere® Web Client are not synchronized with the VMware Solutions console. Therefore, remove ESXi servers from vCenter Server only for on-premises ESXi servers or ESXi servers that you don't manage in the VMware Solutions console.

  • When you delete ESXi servers, the servers are placed in maintenance mode, and then, all the virtual machines (VMs) running on the servers are migrated before they are deleted from vCenter Server. For maximum of control over the relocation of VMs, place the ESXi servers in maintenance mode and migrate the VMs running on them manually using the VMware vSphere Web Client. After that, delete the ESXi servers by using the VMware Solutions console.
  • If you are using NFS storage, NSX-T™ instances require at least three ESXi servers for a consolidated cluster or at least two servers for any other cluster. NSX-V instances require at least two ESXi servers.
  • If you are using vSAN storage, at least four ESXi servers are required.
  • (NSX-V only) If F5® BIG-IP® or FortiGate® Virtual Appliance is installed on your ESXi server, you must migrate the F5 BIG-IP and FortiGate VMs to a different ESXi server than the one that is hosting the VMs.
  • (NSX-V only) If IBM Spectrum® Protect Plus is installed on your ESXi server, ensure that there are no active (failed or in progress) backup or restore operations. These active operations might prevent the ESXi server from being deleted.

Procedure to delete ESXi servers from Automated instances

  1. From the VMware Solutions console, click Resources > VCF for Classic from the left navigation pane.
  2. In the VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic table, click the instance for which you want to contract capacity.
  3. Click the Infrastructure tab.
  4. In the applicable cluster table, click the cluster from which you want to delete ESXi servers.
  5. In the ESXi servers section, select the servers that you want to delete and click Delete.
  6. Click Delete in the Delete ESXi server window.

Results after you delete ESXi servers from Automated instances

  1. You might experience a slight delay on the console, while the instance status changes from Available to Modifying. Allow the operation to complete before you make more changes to the instance.

  2. You are notified by email that your request to delete ESXi servers is being processed. On the console, the status of the cluster that is associated with the ESXi servers is changed to Modifying.

  3. The ESXi servers are fully reclaimed by IBM Cloud infrastructure at the end of the IBM Cloud infrastructure billing cycle, which is typically 30 days.

    You are billed until the end of the IBM Cloud infrastructure billing cycle for the deleted ESXi servers.