Renaming a Virtual Machine and Its Files in vSphere: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve renamed a virtual machine in vSphere and the containing folder and associated VM files don’t match the new name, don’t worry! You can easily change the names of the folder and files using Storage vMotion. In this article, we’ll go over how to do this and provide some tips and tricks for making the process smoother.

Renaming a Virtual Machine in vSphere

Before we dive into the steps for renaming the folder and files, let’s quickly cover how to rename a virtual machine in vSphere. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Right-click on the virtual machine you want to rename in the vSphere inventory view.

2. Select “Rename” from the context menu.

3. Enter the new name for the virtual machine and click “OK.”

That’s it! The virtual machine will now be renamed, but the containing folder and associated VM files may still have the old name.

Changing the Names of the Folder and Files

To change the names of the folder and files to match the new name of the virtual machine, you can use Storage vMotion. Here are the steps:

1. Right-click on the virtual machine in the vSphere inventory view and select “Storage vMotion” from the context menu.

2. Select the destination datastore and click “Next.”

3. Select the option to change both compute (vMotion) and storage (SvMotion) resources if preferred, or choose to only migrate the virtual machine’s storage.

4. Click “Finish” to start the SvMotion process.

When the process is complete, the containing folder and associated VM files will have been renamed to match the new name of the virtual machine.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind when renaming a virtual machine and its files:

1. Make sure to reference KB article VMware Knowledge Base Article 1029513 for all the information needed on renaming virtual machines and their files in vSphere.

2. If you’re using PhotonOS, be aware that the default name for the virtual machine and its files will be “PhotonOS” + the appropriate VMW file extension.

3. Before renaming the virtual machine, make sure to take a backup of the VM files in case something goes wrong during the rename process.

4. If you’re renaming multiple virtual machines, consider using PowerCLI to automate the process.

5. Remember that Storage vMotion can be used for other tasks beyond renaming virtual machines and their files, such as migrating VMs to different datastores or upgrading storage.

Conclusion

Renaming a virtual machine in vSphere is easy, but changing the names of the containing folder and associated VM files can be a bit more involved. Thankfully, Storage vMotion makes this process simple and straightforward. By following the steps outlined in this article and keeping a few tips and tricks in mind, you’ll be able to rename your virtual machines and their files with ease. Happy renaming!