You can use vMotion across vCenter Server instances if your system meets certain requirements.

The following list sums the requirements that your system must meet so that you can use migration across vCenter Server instances:

  • When you migrate virtual machines across vCenter Server instances in Enhanced Linked Mode, without using Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion, verify that you meet the following requirements.
    • Both vCenter Server instances must be in the same vCenter Single Sign-On domain. Enhanced Link Mode lets the source vCenter Server authenticate to the destination vCenter Server.

      For information about installing vCenter Server in Enhanced Linked Mode, see the vCenter Server Installation and Setup documentation.

    • The cross vCenter Server and long-distance vSphere vMotion features require a vSphere Enterprise Plus license. For more information, see http://www.vmware.com/uk/products/vsphere/compare.html.
    • The source and destination vCenter Server instances and ESXi hosts must be 6.0 or later.
    • Both vCenter Server instances must be time-synchronized with each other for correct vCenter Single Sign-On token verification.
    • For migration of compute resources only, both vCenter Server instances must be connected to the shared virtual machine storage.
  • When you migrate virtual machines across vCenter Server instances in different vCenter Single Sign-On domains with Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion, verify that you meet the following requirements.
    • The vCenter Server instance from which you initiate the import or export of virtual machines must be version 7.0 Update 1c or later.
    • To vMotion powered-on virtual machines with the Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion feature, you must have a vSphere Enterprise Plus license.
    • To migrate powered-off virtual machines with the Advanced Cross vCenter vMotion feature, you must have a vSphere Standard license.