ESXi 4.1.0

[GreenIT]

We are running ESX 3.5 in our current environment. Recently we procured Servers with ESXi 4.1.0 and need to incorporate these new servers into the current VMware Infrastructure 3.5. I can downgrade the new servers to ESXi 3.x but do I loose the 64 bit support? What are the other options I have?

Thanks,

[Troy_Clavell]

you don't lose 64bit support for your guests as long as your Hosts BIOS supports VT-x/AMD-v, and it's enabled. Also, I would advise, if you can, to upgrade your VI3 environment to vSphere4 instead of the opposite.

[RParker]

Recently we procured Servers with ESXi 4.1.0 and need to incorporate these new servers into the current VMware Infrastructure 3.5.

Why downgrade? They can work together, you just need to upgrade vCenter. You get more benefit from a higher version of vcenter anyway.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

The best course of action would be to upgrade vCenter to 4.1 and then add your new ESXi host. ESXi 4.x hosts can co-exist with ESX 3.5 hosts and that includes being in the same clusters.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[GreenIT]

Can I do an inplace upgrade from Vcenter 2.5 to Vsphere without any distruption during normal hours?

[Troy_Clavell]

Can I do an inplace upgrade from Vcenter 2.5 to Vsphere without any distruption during normal hours?

yes. However, vCenter 4.1 is 64bit, so you may have to adjust your Host OS accordingly. Also, a new 64bit DSN will need to be created

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_upgrade_guide.pdf

[Dave_Mishchenko]

vCenter would be offline during the upgrade and since you're going from 2.5 to 4.1 you'll need a 64 bit OS for the vCenter host so you may have to swap that host out. But in regards to your VMs they will continue to run uninterrupted. You won't have DRS / vMotion during the upgrade but if you use HA that will work fine.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[GreenIT]

Thanks very much!