3.5. Data Center Tasks

3.5.1. Creating a New Data Center

This procedure creates a data center in your virtualization environment. The data center requires a functioning cluster, host, and storage domain to operate.

Note

The storage Type can be edited until the first storage domain is added to the data center. Once a storage domain has been added, the storage Type cannot be changed.
If you set the Compatibility Version as 3.6, it cannot be changed to 3.5 at a later time; version regression is not allowed.

Procedure 3.1. Creating a New Data Center

  1. Select the Data Centers resource tab to list all data centers in the results list.
  2. Click New to open the New Data Center window.
  3. Enter the Name and Description of the data center.
  4. Select the storage Type, Compatibility Version, and Quota Mode of the data center from the drop-down menus.
  5. Optionally, change the MAC address pool for the data center. The default MAC address pool is preselected by default. For more information on creating MAC address pools see Section 1.1.5, “MAC Address Pools”.
    1. Click the MAC Address Pool tab.
    2. Select the required MAC address pool from the MAC Address Pool drop-down list.
  6. Click OK to create the data center and open the New Data Center - Guide Me window.
  7. The Guide Me window lists the entities that need to be configured for the data center. Configure these entities or postpone configuration by clicking the Configure Later button; configuration can be resumed by selecting the data center and clicking the Guide Me button.
The new data center is added to the virtualization environment. It will remain Uninitialized until a cluster, host, and storage domain are configured for it; use Guide Me to configure these entities.

3.5.2. Explanation of Settings in the New Data Center and Edit Data Center Windows

The table below describes the settings of a data center as displayed in the New Data Center and Edit Data Center windows. Invalid entries are outlined in orange when you click OK, prohibiting the changes being accepted. In addition, field prompts indicate the expected values or range of values.

Table 3.1. Data Center Properties

Field
Description/Action
Name
The name of the data center. This text field has a 40-character limit and must be a unique name with any combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores.
Description
The description of the data center. This field is recommended but not mandatory.
Type
The storage type. Choose one of the following:
  • Shared
  • Local
The type of data domain dictates the type of the data center and cannot be changed after creation without significant disruption. Multiple types of storage domains (iSCSI, NFS, FC, POSIX, and Gluster) can be added to the same data center, though local and shared domains cannot be mixed.
Compatibility Version
The version of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. Choose one of the following:
  • 3.0
  • 3.1
  • 3.2
  • 3.3
  • 3.4
  • 3.5
  • 3.6
After upgrading the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager, the hosts, clusters and data centers may still be in the earlier version. Ensure that you have upgraded all the hosts, then the clusters, before you upgrade the Compatibility Level of the data center.
Quota Mode
Quota is a resource limitation tool provided with Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization. Choose one of:
  • Disabled: Select if you do not want to implement Quota
  • Audit: Select if you want to edit the Quota settings
  • Enforced: Select to implement Quota
MAC Address Pool
The MAC address pool of the data center. If no other MAC address pool is assigned the default MAC address pool is used. For more information on MAC address pools see Section 1.1.5, “MAC Address Pools”

3.5.3. Re-Initializing a Data Center: Recovery Procedure

This recovery procedure replaces the master data domain of your data center with a new master data domain; necessary in the event of data corruption of your master data domain. Re-initializing a data center allows you to restore all other resources associated with the data center, including clusters, hosts, and non-problematic storage domains.
You can import any backup or exported virtual machines or templates into your new master data domain.

Procedure 3.2. Re-Initializing a Data Center

  1. Click the Data Centers resource tab and select the data center to re-initialize.
  2. Ensure that any storage domains attached to the data center are in maintenance mode.
  3. Right-click the data center and select Re-Initialize Data Center from the drop-down menu to open the Data Center Re-Initialize window.
  4. The Data Center Re-Initialize window lists all available (detached; in maintenance mode) storage domains. Click the radio button for the storage domain you are adding to the data center.
  5. Select the Approve operation check box.
  6. Click OK to close the window and re-initialize the data center.
The storage domain is attached to the data center as the master data domain and activated. You can now import any backup or exported virtual machines or templates into your new master data domain.

3.5.4. Removing a Data Center

An active host is required to remove a data center. Removing a data center will not remove the associated resources.

Procedure 3.3. Removing a Data Center

  1. Ensure the storage domains attached to the data center is in maintenance mode.
  2. Click the Data Centers resource tab and select the data center to remove.
  3. Click Remove to open the Remove Data Center(s) confirmation window.
  4. Click OK.

3.5.5. Force Removing a Data Center

A data center becomes Non Responsive if the attached storage domain is corrupt or if the host becomes Non Responsive. You cannot Remove the data center under either circumstance.
Force Remove does not require an active host. It also permanently removes the attached storage domain.
It may be necessary to Destroy a corrupted storage domain before you can Force Remove the data center.

Procedure 3.4. Force Removing a Data Center

  1. Click the Data Centers resource tab and select the data center to remove.
  2. Click Force Remove to open the Force Remove Data Center confirmation window.
  3. Select the Approve operation check box.
  4. Click OK
The data center and attached storage domain are permanently removed from the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization environment.

3.5.6. Changing the Data Center Compatibility Version

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization data centers have a compatibility version. The compatibility version indicates the version of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization that the data center is intended to be compatible with. All clusters in the data center must support the desired compatibility level.

Note

To change the data center compatibility version, you must have first updated all the clusters in your data center to a level that supports your desired compatibility level.

Procedure 3.5. Changing the Data Center Compatibility Version

  1. From the Administration Portal, click the Data Centers tab.
  2. Select the data center to change from the list displayed.
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Change the Compatibility Version to the desired value.
  5. Click OK to open the Change Data Center Compatibility Version confirmation window.
  6. Click OK to confirm.
You have updated the compatibility version of the data center.

Warning

Upgrading the compatibility will also upgrade all of the storage domains belonging to the data center. If you are upgrading the compatibility version from below 3.1 to a higher version, these storage domains will become unusable with versions older than 3.1.