upgrade from ESX3.5 update 1 to ESX3.5 update4

[aryan14in]

Hello- I have a cluster of 10 ESX3.5 update1 Servers in the environment having shared storage for VMs. My VC is already at 3.5 update4. I need suggestions on best way to upgrade from ESX3.5 update1 to ESX3.5 update4 without any downtime (if possible-which i think is possible as i can vmotion all VMs to other hosts in cluster). Any document reference specific to update upgrade only would be great help. Thanks!

[Troy_Clavell · Accepted solution]

VMware Update Manager is the easiest way to go. Just create a baseline, attach it to your cluster and remediate against it. VUM will automate the process by issuing a "enter maintenance mode" of the host, migrating all VM's off to other hosts in the cluster, putting the host into maintenance mode, rebooting and taking the host out of maintenance mode.....rinse and repeat.

If you don't have VUM, you can still do the process manually using the DVD media and choosing "upgrade"

and finally if you want you can do it using esxupdate

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_vum_10u2_admin_guide.pdf

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_upgrade_guide.pdf

[aryan14in]

Thanks! Troy. Could you please suggest the detailed backout plan and baby steps to do the upgrade. I don't have VUM, I would be using esx3.5update4 iso.

This is what my plan is:

1. Backout plan ??

2. VMotion all VMs to another ESX host.

3. Mount ESX3.5 update 4 iso

4. Choose upgrade option.

5 . Complete the upgrade. Vmotion VMs back to upgraded host.

6. Repeat same steps for all hosts.

[Troy_Clavell]

1. Backout plan ??

The backout plan is a re-install of ESX. If you have no VM's running on the host, you don't lose anything. You will have to do all the post install stuff, but that is it.

The rest of the plan looks good!

[aryan14in]

I have a test ESX server same as PRD hosting ~10 VMs. But it is single node ESX. I wanted to try on it first. Any suggestion on its backout plan?

[Troy_Clavell]

following the upgrade guide you should be successful, and your backout plan again is a rebuild

[aryan14in]

I think i would like to move in a controlled way with esxupdate. Any link to download all the update4 upgrade RPMs as a package?

[aryan14in]

Can you provide link to dwonload esx3.5u4 RPMs. I tried at couple of places, but link is timing out. Thanks!

[aryan14in]

I copied the update4 RPMs in /tmp/update4 folder and using esxupdate( #esxupdate -d /tmp/update4 update) upgraded the ESX. It went smooth without any issues. Thanks! Troy.