upgrading 3.0.2 to 3.5

[tdubb123]

what is the procedure to upgrade from 3.0.2 to 3.5 for a cluster and a standalone?

[ctfoster]

The upgrade guide is always the best place to start. Check this out and the post any further questions.

[RParker]

Boot from CD (created from 3.5 ISO).

Install ESX and choose upgrade (preserve existing VMFS volumes)

That's all there is to it. When the install completes, reboot the ESX host, and it's done. No changes/configuration is (are?) necessary.

• All your base are belong to us:)

[dpomeroy]

Yes definitely read the Upgrade Guide and also VirtualCenter should be upgraded first if you haven't done this yet.

Don Pomeroy

VMware Communities User Moderator

[benny_hauk]

This document ends up being a pretty lousy document for this scenario since only one page of this 96 page document addresses the relatively minor task of upgrading from 3.0.2 to 3.5 (page 41, by the way).

For instance, I'm trying to figure out what in my current 3.0.2/2.0.2 environment needs to change in order to support a single, new 3.5 host. I'm not immediately looking to upgrade all 3.0.2 hosts, just first of all want to be able to add a 3.5 for a while. Once that has ran in our environment for a sufficient period of time I'll look to upgrade the rest of the hosts. I think all I require is to have VirtualCenter running 2.5. I can't find the doc that says that though.

First off, can I do that and still have VMotion capabilities between 3.0.2 hosts and 3.5 hosts?

Secondly, it appears all I have to do is upgrade the VirtualCenter Mgmt Server and it's database per the instructions in the referenced document above. However, I have a feeling that it's going to be more complicated than inserting the VirtualCenter server CD, upgrading the app and upgrading the db. Anyone expereinced this? Is it really that simple? I thought I recall a patch or 2 being required first but maybe I'm thinking of upgrading from 3.0.2 to 3.5.

Bottomline is that I hate the only option being to read through a 96 page document spelling out all the pitfalls awaiting someone upgrading from an VM2 environment in order to find the pitfalls awaiting me for a relatively minor upgrade.

[benny_hauk]

Gotta do VirtualCenter app and db first...

[RParker]

> Gotta do VirtualCenter app and db first...

No you don't, it will still upgrade, you don't necessarily have to connect to VC.... It's required at some point, but not at first.

[tdubb123]

so can virtualcenter 2.0.1 ans 2.0.2 manage esx 3.5 or so I need to upgrade vc to 2.5 first?

I have a cluster all 3.0.2. and vc 2.0.2

my plan to is vmotion the vms off one node to another and upgrade the node one by one to 3.5.

Should i do this first or upgrade vc first?

[ctfoster]

so can virtualcenter 2.0.1 ans 2.0.2 manage esx 3.5 or so I need to upgrade vc to 2.5 first?

A 2.0.1 VC cannot manage a 3.5 host. Therefore backup your database and upgrade the VC. Then run rolling upgrade on your hosts as you describe. A 2.5 VC will be able to handle vMotion between the different versions.

[khughes]

What rparker is saying is that you don't have to upgrade your VC to 2.5 before you upgrade a host for test... but you CAN NOT manage a 3.5 host with a 2.0.2 VC. You would be managing the 3.5 box as a single host.

If you want to manage a 3.5 host inside of Virtual Center you will need to upgrade to 2.5

- Kyle

[tdubb123]

Will vmotion work between 3.5 hosts and 3.0.2 hosts in VC 2.5?

[dpomeroy]

Will vmotion work between 3.5 hosts and 3.0.2 hosts in VC 2.5?

I don't recall having any problems with VMotion when I upgraded from 3.0 and 3.0.2 to 3.5.

Its highly recommended by VMware that you upgrade VirtualCenter before upgrading any of your hosts.

Don Pomeroy

VMware Communities User Moderator

[tdubb123]

what about installing a new vc 2.5 and point the database to the existing 2.0.2 database. Then do a rolling upgrade of the esx 3.0.2 hosts. disconnect them from vc 2.0.2 and add them into vc 2.5.

would this work?

[Jae_Ellers]

Just did this myself last week. Added the db_owner rights for my vc login to the msdb database, ran a vc database backup, and updated tjo 2.5U1.

I just migrated a w2k3 server between a 3.0.2 and 3.5U1 system and back. I got a warning about modifying config files going from 3.5 to 3.0.2 but none going the other way. So that's a datapoint of 1.

If you do a new server you have to deal with the orphaned user usually, but there's plenty of references to the KB article out there and it just takes a couple sql statements to check for it and fix it.

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[fraber01]

Like almost everyone says before me, Upgrade VC. Just for the new functions and the sleek look of the app, it worth it.

The upgrade process is pretty straightforward... maybe that's why there's only one page describing it

But, having tried 3.5 for some time now, and having worked with 3.02 for a long time, I still prefer 3.02... stick to it if it fits your needs.

you could install the new host with 3.5 and see for yourself.

[kcc001]

VMware support informed me the license files weren't compatible between VC 2.0.2 and 2.5. Is this not true? We're using the "served" lic file on our VC. Is there modification that has to take place to use the same license file in VC 2.5? If so, what?

[khughes]

Like almost everyone says before me, Upgrade VC. Just for the new functions and the sleek look of the app, it worth it.

Upgrading the VC first is not just for the new funtions and the sleek look ... Its because you wont be able to manage your 3.5 host in virtualcenter without a 2.5 VC. I'm pretty sure that if you have a VC you'll want to use it and configure your newly upgraded host with DRS/HA/VMotion etc...

And the license file should be good from 2.0.2 to 2.5 I haven't heard of anything different. We just went from 2.0.2 to 2.5 with no issues with the lic file.

• Kyle

[kcc001]

Somebody in support was misinformed then, thanks for the info. Just to confirm, after upgrading VC 2.0.2 to 2.5, I can reconnect to all our ESX 3.0.2 hosts? We'll be upgrading our 15 hosts to 3.5 over the next month or so. Also, any issues with the upgrade process to 3.5? Should we go with upgrading to 3.5 Update 3? I know we had strange issues/errors with the 2.x upgrade to 3.0, and ended up vmotioning off the VM's, then doing a fresh install of each host.

[khughes]

I upgraded our VC a couple weeks ago from 2.0.2 to 2.5U3. From what I know is 2.5U3 is a release to fix a lot of bugs that were happening in U2, so I would go that route. I let my VC upgrade sit for about a week to make sure there were no issues. I did a straight up grade and it ran fine. I was able to reconnect all of my 3.0.2 devices like nothing happened. When upgrading your host, we always rebuild from scratch and don't let any residing old files linger on the hosts from an upgrade. That way we know there is a clean install and there should be no issues after that. We're slowly upgrading our hosts from 3.0.2 to 3.5. We're in a mixed environment right now with no issues

• Kyle