Upgrading vSphere 4.1 to vSphere 5.0

[Kapil84]

Hi,

I am planning to upgrade my vShpere 4.1 environment to vSphere 5.0.

I am trying to understand while upgradation of vSphere 4.1  it ask the about data base option ( DSN and ODBC driver)  after that it ask to upgrade existing vCenter Server Data Base. So this Database steps will upgrade my current (SQL 2005 database or default local database ) that i used for vCenter 4.1 to latest new version or what it will do?

If i select do not upgrade existing vCenter Data base and proceed the installation then what will happen?

Want to know what will happen to database during upgradation of vCenter?

As per new installation of  vCenter we can either use remote database or the default database requirements can be install from vCenter installation.

So if any one have successfully upgraded the vCenter 4.1 to vCenter 5.0 then please let me know how should start my upgradation.

Currently in my vSphere environment ESX 4.0.0 and ESXi 4.1.0 hosts are running with production and development VMs.

So without affecting any ESX or ESXi host and VMs i want safely upgrade my vSphere environment to 5.0

Documents links that I am approching is as below:

http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/upgrade-center/upgrade.html

Regards,

Kapil

[Nikhil_Patwa]

Hi,

Follow the link below on how to upgrade vCenter server

http://www.vmguru.nl/wordpress/2011/08/how-to-upgrade-to-vsphere-5/

Follow this youtube video on how to upgrade, may give you some information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbmQPrTO5po

I suggest you also upgrade all your ESX servers to ESXi as version 5 is ESXi only

Nikhil

[BharatR]

Hi

Here are the Steps to

   Upgrading vCenter 4 to vCenter 5

In this tutorial this will guide you through upgrading vCenter 4 to the new vCenter 5. In this lab I have a separate SQL Server running SQL 2008 R2 on Windows 2008 R2, vCenter 4.1 running on Windows 2008 R2.

Note: vCenter 5 Support only SQL Server 2008 Sp2 and above

Upgrading to vCenter 5

1. Log into your vCenter server as the service account that is running the vCenter services. Either burn or mount the vCenter 5 iso image to the DVD drive of your vCenter server. It will either auto start or if you have auto start disabled you can browse the DVD and double click autostart.exe. First thing we are going to do is test our current ESXi servers to see if the VPX agent is ready to be upgraded. NOTE: In vSphere 5, there is no more ESX servers, so you must plan to re-install your hosts to ESXi.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/01-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

2. Select vCenter Host Agent Pre-Upgrade Checker and click Install. Click Next at the Welcome screen.

3. The wizard will pick up your existing DSN, enter in the username and password to authenticate to your database. Alternatively you can select Use Windows Credentials if the user you are logged in with has access to your database, or Use Virtual Center Credentials. Click Next.

4. Select Custom Mode. Click Next.

5. Select your hosts and click Next.

6. Click Run precheck and when finished click Next.

7. As you can see my host has passed, you can also click on View Report if you wish. Click Next.

8. The Pre-Upgrade Checker has now complete, click Finish.

9. Click on vCenter Server and click install to being the vCenter 5 installation wizard.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/09-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

10. Select your language and click Ok.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/10-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

11. The wizard picks up that you have a previous version of vCenter and that an upgrade to vCenter 5 will take place. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/11-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

12. Click Next to the End-User Patent Agreement.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/12-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

13. Agree to the license agreement and click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/13-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

14. Enter in your username and organization followed by your license key, or leave empty to install in evaluation mode. Click Next.

15. Click Yes if you are continuing in evaluation mode or click no and enter in your vcenter 5 license key.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/15-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

16. Your preivous DSN is found, click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/16-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

17. Make sure you take a backup of your existing database before upgrading. Also backup your SSL keys. Select Upgrade and click I have taken a backup. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/17-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

18. You can select Automatic or Manual here, I select Automatic to have vCenter upgrade my vCenter Agent on each host automatically. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/18-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

19. Enter in your password for the vCenter Service and enter in your FQDN for your vCenter Server. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/19-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

20. Select your installation Directories for vCenter 5 and click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/20-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

21. Check your port settings for conflicts, most of these ports are from your existing vCenter 4. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/21-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

22. Check the Inventory Service Ports for conflicts. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/22-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

23. Select the Inventory Size that corresponds to your environment. Click Next.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/23-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

24. If you power on more than 2000 virtual machines simultaneously then select this box, otherwise click Install.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/24-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

25. The vCenter 5 upgrade begins.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/25-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

26. Click Finish.

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/26-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

27. Back at the welcome screen, install the vSphere Client. This will upgrade your existing client. The installation is very basic so I won’t provide any screen shots. Once the new vSphere Client is installed, double click it to launch it. Enter in your vCenter ip address or hostname followed by your username/password or you can tick the box to use your current Windows session credentials.

28. Select Install this certificate… and then click Ignore.

29. You are now logged into your new vCenter 5 Server.

Disclaimer:
All the tutorials included are performed in a lab environment to simulate a real world production scenario. As everything is done to provide the most accurate steps to date, we take no responsibility if you implement any of these steps in a production environment.

[Kapil84]

Hi,

Thank you for providing stepwise solution for upgrading vCenter 4.1 to vcenter5.0 But i have one more question from the below steps.

From  Point 17:  it  gives the option to upgrade database. l

" 17. Make sure you take a backup of your existing database before upgrading. Also backup your SSL keys. Select Upgrade and click I have taken a backup. Click Next. "

http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/17-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

For my current vSphere 4.1 environment  my vCenter4.1 is installed on 64 bit 2003 windows OS and we have used remote SQL 2005 Database for installation of  vCenter 4.1.

So my question is during upgradation of vCenter 4.1 to 5.0   when it ask to upgrade existing vCenter database. So will this process upgrade my current vCenter SQL 2005 database to SQL 2008 database. or what it will do.?

and another question is from VMware vSphere 5.0  best practice  they have mention vCenter Upgrade process.

process is as follow:

1)  verify the vcenter version --> 2) verify the vcenter hardware and OS -->  3) vcenter database location --> 4)vcenter database migration --> 5) upgrade path

So from upgrade path process i have 1)  vCenter version = 4.1 u1 

                                                      2) hardware and OS =  windows server 2003 64 bit os

                                                      3) vCenter Data base location = Remote (SQL 2005 DB)

So  for 4th point on what  basis we need to decide whether to migrate a data base or not..? which option is good for upgrading the vCenter?

for 5th point from upgrade posess it mention that upgrade vCenter & convert database. So  here the step 17  from the below solution will convert the database or we need to reinstall the new version of  database?

Regards,

Kapil

[BharatR]

Hi,

Hi,

Question is during upgradation of vCenter 4.1 to 5.0   when it ask to upgrade existing vCenter database. So will this process upgrade my current vCenter SQL 2005 database to SQL 2008 database

YES, coz Vcenter 5.0 Supports only SQL 2008 with Sp2 database,

So  for 4th point on what  basis we need to decide whether to migrate a data base or not..? which option is good for upgrading the vCenter?

Most of the Customers take the backup of the Existing Database Install the New Version of SQL 2008 before upgrading and restore on the New SQL 2008 Database
So this will be a Good Option, Bcoz after Restoring the database in SQL 2008 and there might some problem, so u can have ur Old Database Backup

step 17  from the below solution will convert the database or we need to reinstall the new version of  database?

it Convert the Database,If you have vCenter Server running on a 64bit OS, then you are good to go

Before you take the plunge and upgrade,You can use SQL Server Management Studio Express to backup your SQL Express  Database and Also take a backup of your vpxd.cfg file. On a 2003 Server this would by default  be located under %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter, I would recommend doing a good amount of  reading best practises documentation and planning. I have linked to two very  useful documents from VMware that will help with your planning. There is an  upgrade checklist which you can work through systematically, as well as a best  practises whitepaper which helps explain the process in good detail with some  great screenshots.

Documentation to read

vSphere 5.0 upgrade  checklist

VMware vSphere 5.0 Upgrade Best  Practises Technical Whitepaper

• Note down all your database login credentials and ensure the vCenter  database login has db_owner permissions.
• Make sure your current installation path of vCenter does not have any commas  or periods in it. (I assume this can cause trouble for the upgrade!)
• Ensure your vCenter Server name is not longer than 15 characters and is  registered correctly with your AD Domain’s DNS.
• Ensure all required ports in/out of the vCenter server are open.
• Make sure any additional plug-ins you use for vCenter Server are compatible  with 5.0 – also make sure you re-enable or reconfigure these post-upgrade.
• Make sure you know the rest of your hardware is compatible with vSphere 5.0!  i.e. check your ESX / ESXi hosts are compatible and there will be no issues  there. You can use the vCenter Host Agent pre-upgrade checker utility included  with the vCenter 5.0 installation media for this.

[nava_thulasi39]

Hi,

Hope, You spent some good time to give step by step Instruction.

There is no possibility to provide the image, instead of giving the link?

[BharatR]

Hi,

Check with the above Step by Step Procedure provided with Link

eg: http://www.sysadmintutorials.com/images/st/vmware/vcenter-5/upgrade/01-vcenter-5-upgrade.png

Click on the same this are the Snapshots