ESXi Upgrade

[LPhilippe06]

I have 3 hosts that I want to upgrade from ESXi Update 1 (Build 1065491), My vCenter Server Update Manager is running on a virtual machine on one of the Hosts.  What is the best practices to upgrade these hosts. 

Feel free to ask any questions, if you have one. 

[admin]

Updating from ESXi 5.1 update 1 to ESXi 5.5 is pretty simple.Only from older versions its a little difficult.

1. Upgrade the vCenter server to 5.5, take a back up of the Vcenter server database.

2. use the update manager to upgrade the hosts to 5.5.

The only Important is I would backup the vCenter server database. Before upgrading the vCenter server.

for complete best practices. check this link

VMware KB: Installing or upgrading to ESXi 5.5 best practices

Thanks,
Avinash

[LPhilippe06]

Thanks Avinash for the reply. I actually want to upgrade from VMware ESXi, 5.1.0 799733 to build 20130607. I built my vCenter Server as a virtual machine. Will it be possible to update my 3 hosts with the vCenter.

If you need more information, let me know.

[wwan]

It doesnt matter if your vcenter and vum are VMs as you will be upgrading them first. The upgrade sequence is always upgrade vcenter first then vum then hypervisors. You have to match vum with vcenter version, e.g. vum 5.5 will only work with vcenter5.5.

When you use vum to upgrade all your hypervisors, you can do it one by one and vum can vmotion vcenter and vum (any VMs that are running on the host that is being upgraded) for you.

[LPhilippe06]

I understand that. How do I upgrade the host running the virtual vCenter Server? Vmware recommends that the Host be in Maintenance mode for upgrade.

Thanks

[wwan]

It will be handled by vum even automated. Say your virtual VC is on host#1,

1) prior to upgrade, VUM will vmotion all VMs that are running on host#1 including virtual VC to host#2 and/or host#3.

2) Then host#1 will be put into maintenance mode and upgrade proceeds.

3) When completes, VUM moves on to host#2, all the running VMs on host#2 including virtual VC get moved to other hosts. Host#2 enters into maintenance mode and upgrade starts

The whole process repeats until all hosts are upgraded.

Hope this helps

[LPhilippe06]

OK. Suppose I am not running vMotion, what would you suggest?

[wwan]

That's bit unusual since most of the features need vmotion. Otherwise there is really no point having a vcenter server. However you can do the upgrade this way...assuming you are using some shared storage over all three hosts.

Say your virtual VC and VUM is on host#1 which will be left last to upgrade, 1) use vum to upgrade host#2 or host#3 (you need to shutdown all VMs on that host first). 2) do the same on the next host. You can power VMs back on once upgrade is done. 3) Log on to host#1 directly via vsphere client, power down all running VMs, as for VC and VUM VMs , de-register them. Log on to another host via vsphere client, register the two VMs and power them on. 4) Log on to vcenter and upgrade host#1.

Alternatively, you can skip VUM just upgrade using ESXi boot CD and make sure you save a copy of current config of the hosts. Just shutdown all VMs on that host, upgrade and power them back on, move on to next host...