Upgrade ESXi 5.0 to 5.1 without upgrading vCenter?

[Bigfrank83]

Hi everyone my first post here.

I am wondering if I can upgrade my one and only host from 5.0 to 5.1 without upgrading vCenter? Basically all I want to do is upgrade to 5.1 so I can install Windows Server 2012 and trial it. Can I just burn the ISO, boot, upgrade and contiune. I have updated the Client to 5.1 already.

P.S. I have read a tonne of info on upgrades etc etc but I just need the answer to that question.

Many Thanks for any help you can provide,

Karl

To add. I tested the upgrade process by installing ESXi 5 into a VM and upgrading to 5.1, this worked. I'm just nervous to do it in my live set up.

[vmroyale]

Hello and welcome to the communities.

It might work, but it would be an unsupported configuration. I wouldn't personally recommend it.

[markpattersones]

Sure can. Its as simple as that.

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

According to the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix, you cannot manage ESXi 5.1 hosts with vCenter 5.0, so you'd first had to upgrade vCenter Server. Another option is to upgrade your host to ESXi 5.0 Update 1 which also supports Windows 2012 as a guest OS.

André

[jrmunday]

Why not just use your nested ESXi 5.1 host (running as a VM on your ESXi 5.0 infrastructure). You can simply point your vShere 5.1 Client directly at this host (without managing it through vCenter) and use the 60 day evaluation licence to build your Windows 2012 Server. This method gives you your trial lab setup without the risk of touching any of your production systems.

Cheers,

Jon

[Bigfrank83]

Many Thanks to you all for taking the time to advise on what I should do.

Andre, its strange because after testing this within vSphere itself by creating a 5.0 VM and upgrading it to 5.1, I was able access it via vCenter 5.0. Maybe it is different when vCenter is not directly inside the host as this was in my test case.

I will re-try updating to Update 1.

EDIT: I receive an error - The operation is not supported on the selected inventory objects selected for the operation. I read this - http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102433...

Just curious if this is safe to do as I am upgrading the Host through vCenter which is located on the Host. Please excuse my ignorance.

Thanks again.

[Bigfrank83]

Thanks John,

I may try that at some point.

Karl