Updating ESX 3.5 hosts in cluster?

[DaChvy95]

I have be assigned a cluster with two ESX hosts. Learning VMware, trying to workout the wrinkle. It's time for updates and I want to apply them manually to each ESX, not at the cluster level. So, do I need to turn HA and DRS off before putting ESX #1 into maintenance mode and run remediate?

I'm using Update Manager.

I don't have to break the cluster, do I?

what is the best practice at this task?

[Troy_Clavell · Accepted solution]

I will assume you are using VUM since you used the term remediate. If so, and you have DRS setup to fully automated, just remediate the cluster. The first ESX Host will migrate all the guest to the host other host, enter maintenance mode, get patched, reboot and exit maintenance mode. The process will be the same for the second host.

[AndreTheGiant]

You can use directly VUM as explained in those video:

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

Andre

[danm66]

I think HA may prevent your host from going into maintenance mode automatically since you only have two systems. I would recommend that you set DRS to manual or semi-automatic mode, manually vmotion the vm's and manually put the host into maintenance mode, then remediate. I like to do it myself rather than wait a half hour for nothing to happen only to find out that there was a cdrom drive mapping issue or something like that.

Also, have you updated your vcenter server first? this is the recommended procedure to keep your VC updated to the same level or higher than your hosts.