Moving from ESX 2.5.3 / VC 1.4 to ESX 3.5 / VC 2.5

[xcom3]

I've been tasked to upgrade an older ESX 2.x/VC 1.4 enviroment to ESX 3.5, VC 2.5.

The old VC server with a local SQL 2000 Server will be used as the new VC 2.5 server, but I'll move the DB to another SQL server with SQL 2005. We have a SAN for the old ESX servers wich I'll be use for the new enviroment.

This is my plan:

1. Upgrade the old VC 1.4.1 server to VC 2.5 (including upgrading the DB).

2. Move the DB from the local SQL 2000 to SQL 2005.

3. Install a new ESX 3.5 server.

4. Add the new ESX 3.5 server to VC.

5. Use VMotion to migrate the VM's from the old ESX 2.5 servers to the new ESX 3.5 server (on a new VMFS datastore).

6. Upgrade the VM hardware from VM2 to VM3.

7. Upgrade the VMWare tools on all VM's.

Does this sound like an accepted plan for migration?

[RParker · Accepted solution]

OK, yes that's very close. I would upgrade DB (SQL 2005) first, since the NEW VC will require a new schema and I think you will find that its best to start over with a NEW VC. That's a bunch of changes, and I am not sure that VC can be upgraded easily, sounds good in theory, but I wouldn't trust it.

So once you have the new VC, then you can migrate your VM's, because you can add 2.5 machines to a VC 2.5 server, thereby putting all the VM's under one roof. Then you roll off the ESX host, upgrade them to 3.5, then migrate VM's back.

Also I wouldn't upgrade 2.5 to 3.5 ESX that has many issues. You have migrate VM's, remove ESX 2.5 from cluster, blow away ESX 2.5, reinstall ESX 3.5 as new. Then add the new ESX 3.5 to the cluster. Migrate VM's back.

[Troy_Clavell]

....and to add a little bit to what Richard said.... don't forget you will have to upgrade the virtual hardware of your 2.5.3 VM's

Message was edited by: Troy Clavell: sorry i didn't see step 6

[RParker]

don't forget you will have to upgrade the virtual hardware of your 2.5.3 VM's

No automated way to do this?

[Troy_Clavell]

other than VMware Converter, I don't know of a way to automate the process.

[RParker]

other than VMware Converter, I don't know of a way to automate the process.

Ouch! This guy REALLY has his work cut out for him..

[Troy_Clavell]

check out vmware-vmupgrade

You run it from your vCenter Server at the command line. It will automate the upgrade of the virtual hardware on all VM's that are turned off. I just tested int in my beta environment

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server>

[xcom3]

Wow, didn't know that.

I just a little curious about the process of swapping to a new VC. Once I installed it (without any hosts), should I shut down the old VC and then add the ESX 2.5 hosts to the new one? Just to make sure to VC is controlling the same hosts?