Upgrade from ESX 3i to ESX 4i - Your Ideas and recommendation

[ESXi35]

Hi

We have a VI3 with all ESX 3i (10Nos) with VC 2.5. We would be getting another 5 Host as we are getting new Hardwares.

I need your recommendations and inputs on the installing the new bunch of Hardware with vSphere4.0. Can we have some discussion on the Pro's and Con's of installing the vSphere 4.0.

Mainly I would like to know the positives of having vSphere 4.0. We all know VI3 was very stable and pretty good in terms of all aspects. It also proved to be very robust

Is vSphere 4.0 behaving the same way as it used to be for ESX 3i ? Is it the right time to upgrade the environment to vSphere 4.0 ?

What are the drawbacks in terms of upgradation and also negatives that we have to keep an eye on.

I know that vcenter 4.0 is available for free(60 days evaluation) ? Is it right idea to utilise the evaluation version and then later upgrade it ?

I need nice ideas and thougts as many of you are already in vSphere 4.0 !!!

Looking for your replies eagerly.

[AndreTheGiant]

Before update the solution check HCL, cause it is different.

Then, if you plan to do the upgrade, go first on the new vCenter Center, that with VUM or Host Updated you can upgrade the ESXi.

Finally upgrade first the VMtools and then (if needed) the virtual hardware.

See also:

Andre

[ESXi35]

Hi Andre

Thanks for your reply. I think I was not clear on my previous post. So here is my revised post.

I got an idea on how to upgrade to vSphere4.0. Hardwares what I got are very much compatible(DELL M600 and M610's).

What i wanted to know from all of you is, Whether vSphere is stable enough as VI3.

Since I'm getting new M610's(5 No's), is it the right approach to have vShpere 4.0 on these servers alone. I mean, by running one vCenter 4.0(Eval) and remaining with ESX 4i(4 No's) to see if everything is fine.

I think I can run vCenter 4.0 evaluation for 60 days. I need a confirmation here as well.

Step 1 : I shall use the evaluation version for 50 days(if it is available) on the new boxes. Configure the new 4 No's of ESXi to use this vCenter 4.0.

Step 2 : Probably after 50 days, I shall upgrade my VC 2.5 to vCenter 4.0 and then the remaining ESX 3i to ESX 4i.

Step 3 : Now, Configure the ESX 4i's which were set to vcenter 4.0 Evaluation to use the Upgraded one(Configured in Step 1)

I would go with the above steps if the vSphere 4.0 experts in here say, that vShpere 4.0 is well stable and robust as VI3. Also, Please correct me if anything is wrong in the above steps

Hope to hear from you soon.

[AndreTheGiant]

What i wanted to know from all of you is, Whether vSphere is stable enough as VI3.

Absolutely.

Now I use only vSphere

I think I can run vCenter 4.0 evaluation for 60 days. I need a confirmation here as well.

Could be an idea.

Remember to add the license server for old ESX (or keep the old one)

Remember also to use a x64 platform, cause seems that future version of vCenter Server will drop 32 bit support.

But remember also that actually View Composer require a 32 bit version of vCenter

Andre