Best ways to upgrade the VMware ESXi without losing data!

[Chirag01]

Hi,

We are trying to upgrade the ESXi from 6.5.0u1 to 6.7.0u1 to see if it improves the overall performance. However, when we do, it complained that 'VMFS cannot be upgraded, continuing will wipe all data'! So, we cancelled it and the server has rebooted back into VMware.

I would like to know what are the best ways to upgrade the ESXi without losing the data of the VMs running on ESXi.

One of the ways I know is to use bootable media of the new version. However, I would like to know is there any other way apart from using the bootable media of ESXi new version? Also, does the automatic upgrade (when it scans the storage and finds an existing ESXi version and prompted to upgrade) provides the guarantee to not lose the running VMs data if we choose to proceed with this option?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Regards,

Chirag

[Dave_the_Wave · Accepted solution]

It appears to look like the symptoms of going to 6.7.0 without an upgrade path.

Have you tried going to 6.5U2 first? Perhaps then you can go from 6.5U2 to 6.7U1 .

If this is a production host, I don't know why you are risking that with 6.7 .

How much "moar" speed are you expecting from 6.5 to 6.7? It may be best to evaluate your hardware resources instead.

If it is indeed a production host, best to new install a 6.7U1 on another host, then .ova or vMotion the VMs over. Because if it don't work, you have your 6.5 host to fall back on.

[Chirag01]

Hi Dave_the-Wave,

Thanks for the reply and sharing the information.

We have actually been facing a slow operation for one of the Virtual machines that running on ESXi and so trying to upgrade to see the performance.

You have mentioned very good points that certainly help, thank you!

Regards,

Chirag