Licenses vCenter 6.5 and ESXi 6.7 - Compatibility

[jlovera]

Hi all,

I would like to resolve the following concern regarding the issue of licenses and compatibility.

At the moment two physical equipments were already bought with ESXi installed 6.7 (I have to confirm the Build), additional we acquired a license vcenter server standard 6.5. (For a vcenter instance).

Reviewing the vmware compatibility matrix, I saw that a vcenter 6.5 is not compatible with ESXi 6.7. This means that I can not manage esxi 6.7 host with vcenter 6.5. This is correct?

But if you notice that you can manage host 6.5 with a vcenter 6.7.

My other question:

Can I deploy a vcsa 6.7 and use the license serial number 6.5 that was purchased? to then add my host esxi 6.7 to the vcenter. I understand that in vmware the same license is valid provided it is the same version, example vcenter 5.1 to vcenter 5.5.

Or should I acquire a license specifically for vcenter server 6.7? At this point I would perform the deployment of vcsa 6.7 and place a new license in 60 days.

It is a clean vcsa installation that is going to be performed, not an update.

attentive to your comments.

[daphnissov]

Reviewing the vmware compatibility matrix, I saw that a vcenter 6.5 is not compatible with ESXi 6.7. This means that I can not manage esxi 6.7 host with vcenter 6.5. This is correct?

Correct.

Can I deploy a vcsa 6.7 and use the license serial number 6.5 that was purchased? to then add my host esxi 6.7 to the vcenter. I understand that in vmware the same license is valid provided it is the same version, example vcenter 5.1 to vcenter 5.5.

Yes, because the vCenter Server license is for 6.x. It isn't minor version specific (there is no such thing as a "vCenter 6.5 license" key). You can stand up a vCSA 6.7, license it with your key, and join your ESXi 6.7 hosts to it.

[jlovera]

ok in mind thank you very much for the answers.

Additional I understand that during the installation of VCSA the portgroup must be ephemeral. When I upgraded from 5.5 to 6.5 I had to configure the ephemeral portgroup.

For vcsa 6.7 applies the same ephemeral portgroup? If so, should I create it at the vSS level before deploying the vcsa?

I can not create vDS because my license is from vcenter server standard.

Regarding the host where I am going to deploy the vcenter, the host must first be included in the domain?. Should I create the host record in the DNS server before deploying the vcsa?

[daphnissov]

If you have a license for vCenter Server Standard then you are already using vSS, so you should therefore have a port group that will work for the upgrade. No new DNS records should need to be created for the upgrade. You will just need to have a temporary IP for the appliance so it can migrate your existing vCenter identity over.

[jlovera]

I will not perform an update.

I AM GOING TO MAKE A DEPLOYMENT FROM ZERO OF A VCSA. THAT'S WHY THE QUESTION WITH THE PORTGROUP EPHEMERAL

[daphnissov]

It doesn't matter. Again, as I say, if you aren't using a vDS then *all* of your port groups are essentially ephemeral because they're backed by a vSS.

[jlovera]

ok understood with the vSS.

Regarding the host where I am going to deploy the vcsa, it must be registered in the DNS server.

[daphnissov]

You're going to deploy vCSA to an existing ESXi server. You will use a fully-qualified domain name for the vCSA. You must pre-create forward and reverse DNS records in your own internal DNS server prior to beginning the installation. You must also ensure you have time synchronized between the destination ESXi host and the workstation from which you'll run the installer wizard.

[jlovera]

It is a factory ESXi server.

[daphnissov]

Ok?

[jlovera]

It is a factory ESXi server.

Then you must create the DNS record of that ESXi server plus the registry of the vcenter server appliance.

[daphnissov]

vCSA doesn't care if the destination ESXi host has a DNS record or not. It does care that vCSA itself has forward and reverse DNS records in your local DNS server.

[jlovera]

Hello, consider many thanks for your recommendations.

The IP that can be used to deploy the VCSA, must be in the same IP range of the physical hosts and the same VLAN?

[daphnissov]

The IP that can be used to deploy the VCSA, must be in the same IP range of the physical hosts and the same VLAN?

No

[jlovera]

Ok in mind, you can then be in a different ip range.

[jlovera]

Good afternoon mates,

I already have my zones and registers ready for both physical hosts and my vcsa.

By pinging from the client's local network, the physical hosts respond to ping by the ip address, but do not respond to ping by the name of the server. This would be an inconvenience to deploy my vcsa?

additional both host communicate between, both by name and by ip.

attentive to your comments.