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11 Replies Last post: Nov 10, 2009 4:55 AM by stanj

Upgrade with no vmotion? posted: Oct 16, 2009 6:10 AM

stanj

73 posts since
Jun 26, 2007

I have two test sites to upgrade

These are NOT production sites.

Test site 1:
has 5 Del 2950 ESX servers running 3.5 U4 and a SAN but only Standard Licenses, so no vmotion unless I can get a 3.5 eavl.
Also, have vCenter 2.5 and a license server on a PC with the default database (no Oracle or SQL Server DB).
There are about 35 VMs total (some are on local Dell Server storage and some are on the SAN).

I also am looking at using a spare Dell 2650 for vCenter 4.0 sice the PC has a single CPU and 2 GB of RAM.

Test site 2:
has 10 Del 2950 ESX servers 3.5 U4. and 1 Dell 1950 ESXi server running ESX 3i.
There is no physical SAN but a virtual SAN is configured with 3 of the Dell 2950 Servers and this site has ESX 3.5 Enterprise License.
Also, have vCenter 2.5 and a license server on a Del 2850 and am using SQL Serve on a Dell 6850 for the vCenter and Update Manager DB.

I have been reading the upgrade guide and it appears that a cold migration may be the only option at both sites.

Do I need to go with cold migration since I have 2 sites that are not in production and can be down for a period of time or can
I use the vSphere Host Update Utility?

thanks

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

1. Oct 16, 2009 6:54 AM

in response to: stanj

byoung111

63 posts since
Jun 20, 2007

With no vmotion your going to have downtime no matter what you do. You could use converter or clone, and once the conversion/clone is done turn on the new VM and turn off the old. This does open up the small posibiltiy of missing data (time between shutting off the old and turning on the new), and it this way will be time intensive.

Since downtime is not an issue. I would use the host update utility. I believe it took less than an hour to update my host and apply the patches. That will be your quickest opiton. It will power off the VM's durring the update though.

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

2. Oct 16, 2009 7:56 AM

in response to: byoung111

stanj

73 posts since
Jun 26, 2007

thanks for the info..

I believe with the Host update Utility, after the upgrade, you then need to go to each VM and upgrade the tools, hardware, and any OS patches??

It looks like the vSphere Update Manager would do these task for you as part of upgrading.

The upgrade documentation for patching at the end of the manual seems misleading..
..in one paragraph it states Host update Utility is a Graphical utility for ESXi only then it later states ..
vSphere Host Update Utility compiles a list of ESX/ESXi hosts that you connect to directly..

So, does the Host update Utility give you the ability to patch ESX and ESXi or do you need to use Update Manager?

Also, forgot to mention that Site 2 has about 125 VM's across the 10 ESX Servers..

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

3. Oct 16, 2009 8:16 AM

in response to: stanj

byoung111

63 posts since
Jun 20, 2007

I think their wording is a little off, and I used the wrong wording. You can only use the host update utility to patch/update ESXi servers. You should use update manager to upgrade your ESX servers. I don't know of any way to mass update VM tools or hardware (there's probably somthing out there to do it), but you can use update manager to install patches on your guest VM's (although you don't have to patch your O/S after you update).

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

4. Oct 16, 2009 8:50 AM

in response to: byoung111

stanj

73 posts since
Jun 26, 2007

i checked the manual..

pg 69 in the Upgrade Guide has a table showing both the Update Utility and Update Manager used for upgrading to vSphere.

Although you may have used the wrong wording, I think you can use either.

Did you use the Update Manager or the vSphere Host Update Utility?

And, I assume vmotion is not required for either?

thanks

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

5. Oct 16, 2009 9:00 AM

in response to: stanj

byoung111

63 posts since
Jun 20, 2007

Well, just to be sure I attached and ESX server to the host update utility, and it said it could not update/patch the ESX server because it was the wrong version. The help file of the host update utility says this.

vSphere Host Update Utility - Graphical utility for ESXi only

vCenter Update Manager - For ESX and ESXi, automates patching and updates.

I used Update Manager from Virtual Center to update my hosts. No vmotion is needed. As long as your VM's have vmware tools installed, it will use that to power off your VM's.

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

6. Oct 16, 2009 9:49 AM

in response to: byoung111

stanj

73 posts since
Jun 26, 2007

At site 1, I do not think we have Update Manager installed...

Was the ESX host you just attached and tried a v4 or 3.5 host?

At site 2, I have Update Mgr on the same server with vCenter.

I think the DOCS are sometimes misleading, or is it really "who you listen to"?
For instance, in the video series vSphere 4 upgrading, the VMware speaker states " In most cases Update Manager will be and should be installed on a separate server..."

This may be for larger VM deployments?

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

7. Oct 16, 2009 12:45 PM

in response to: stanj

DSTAVERT

2,555 posts since
Nov 30, 2003

The vSphere 4 Update utility will update individual 3.5 hosts to Version 4.

vCenter 2.5 will not manage vSphere 4 hosts so you need that first since 4 can manage 3.5 hosts.

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

8. Nov 5, 2009 12:04 PM

in response to: DSTAVERT

stanj

73 posts since
Jun 26, 2007

follow up..

Once I upgrade to vCenter 4 and then upgrade Update Manager, and the client,

I will use vSphere 4 Update Manager to update the ESX 3.5 hosts to ESX 4.. ??

Do I need to power down the VMs on the ESX host (I do not have a SAN configured and no VMotion) prior to running Update Manager?

Once ESX is updated, I then need to ugrade the VMs (tools and hardware)..

thanks

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

9. Nov 5, 2009 1:34 PM

in response to: stanj

DSTAVERT

2,555 posts since
Nov 30, 2003

The Update to 4 WILL restart the hosts automatically. I would update the tools but wait for hardware until you are satisfied that everything is good. You won't be able to move back to 3.5 if you update hardware. I would make absolute certain that ALL your hardware is on the HCL. Double check and then search the forums for anything about your hardware that might cause issues. I would make sure I had copies of all your VM's prior to the move.

I would also consider adding some extra piece of hardware to practice on. Borrow something if you have to. Get familiar so nothing comes as a shock.

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

10. Nov 6, 2009 1:28 AM

in response to: stanj

yezdi

91 posts since
Sep 5, 2008

Once I upgrade to vCenter 4 and then upgrade Update Manager, and the client,

Yes, this is the procedure.

I will use vSphere 4 Update Manager to update the ESX 3.5 hosts to ESX 4.. ??

Yes, you have to use VUM4.0 to upgrade the host from 35 to 4.0. You have to create an Upgrade baseline with the ESX 4.0 iso. Please see the VUM administration guide and vSphere Upgrade guide for more info.
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsp_vum_40_admin_guide.pdf

Do I need to power down the VMs on the ESX host (I do not have a SAN configured and no VMotion) prior to running Update Manager?

Yes, since its a standalone Host upgrade you have to power off your VMs and put the host into maintenance mode before remediating Upgrade baselines from Update Manger.

Once ESX is updated, I then need to ugrade the VMs (tools and hardware)..

Not mandatory. 3.5 version of tools and hardware will work in ESX 4.0. But its always good to upgrade the tools and hardware to get the better performance in 4.0. See the upgrade guide for tools and hardware upgrade procedures.

:+: VCP,RHCE,EMCPA.

Re: Upgrade with no vmotion?

11. Nov 10, 2009 4:55 AM

in response to: yezdi

stanj

73 posts since
Jun 26, 2007

thanks for the input

Since vSphere is new and introduces a new hardware version (7), it is required if you want to take advantage of the new features and performance.

I found the below blog that does a pretty good job explaining the process.

http://blogs.vmware.com/vmtn/2009/06/vsphere-virtual-machine-upgrade-process.html

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