View Upgrade Procedure 4.6 to 5.2

[gbtechsAT]

Hello,

i want to upgrade my VMware View 4.6.0 environment to VMware Horizon View 5.2.

My vCenter Server(Including View Composer), the View Connection and Security Server are running Windows Server 2003 R2 32-Bit.

Because of OS requirements of View 5.2 I have to install new Server 2008 R2 VMs for vCenter, View Security Server and Connection Server.

My vCenter version is 4.0 U4

I have Pools with Linked Clone Desktops and persistent disks, that’s the reason why I want to upgrade instead of creating a new Environment and migrate the Pools with Golden Masters.

My upgrade procedure is following:

Install new VMs for View 5.2 (View CS and SS) and connect these Server to the View 4.6 Environment.

The Connection Server should replicate all Information.

Remove the View 4.6 CS- and SS-Server.

Upgrade vCenter Server (Install Sever 2008 R2 -> Import 4.0 vCenter Server Database and Composer Database)

Is this procedure possible?

If not, what is the best way?

Many thanks in advance.

Best Regards

Georg

[mittim12 · Accepted solution]

It's best practice to have all the servers in a replicated group on the same version.   With that being said I would install the 2008 server into the group with the 4.6 install, allow replication to happen,  remove the older servers, and then upgrade the 2008 4.6 install to 5.2.    I also assume you will upgrade composer as part of the view upgrade so that you can test provisioning and then move the databases to the new 2008 vCenter? 

[phongmany]

Hey gbtechsAT,

I am in the process of doing the same upgrade from a 4.6 CS on Win2003 32-bit to View Horizon 5.2 Windows 2008 64-bit

My plan is very similar:

- Install View CS 5.2 on a Windows 2008 64-bit OS as a Replica role and connect to the 4.6 environment

- Allow data to replicate

- Swing existing View clients that were once connected to the old 4.6 connection server to the new 5.2 connection server by changing the view client connection server name (no load balancer in place, and I'm trying to minimize any downtime)

- Upgrade Composer

- Uninstall 4.6 off of the old Windows 2003 32-bit OS once all View Clients have been directed to the new 5.2 CS.

- Upgrade vCenter and then the ESX hosts from 4.x to ESX 5.1 update 1

Can View CS 4.6 and the new 5.2 exist in the same replication group?

And will adding the 5.2 into the same 4.6 replication group disconnect any existing View connections session established with the 4.6 CS server? Currently Secure Tunnel is configure on the 4.6 CS server and Direct Mode is not being used.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Xay Phongmany

[mikebarnett]

You cannot have 5.2 and 4.6 Connection Servers in the same production cluster. The upgraded CS will upgrade the AD LDS schema and cause problems.

The only supported method for upgrading is to install a 4.6 Connection Server on Windows Server 2008 R2, decommission the old CS (ie. uninstall), then upgrade the Windows Server 2008 R2 View 4.6 CS to 5.2.

-Mike

[phongmany]

Thank you Mike!