In place upgrade

[jprovine7]

Can you do an in place upgrade from window server 2008 vcenter server 5.5 to vcenter 6.0?

[cliffcahill]

I can completed in the past - Though I did have an external SQL Server to house the Database.

See attached link with show the supported OS for vCenter

Supported host operating systems for VMware vCenter Server installation (including vCenter Update Ma...

[jprovine7]

cliffcahill​

Yes I am using and external database as well and no issue with the OS the issue is the best way to test and do the upgrade. Can you share how you managed to upgrade for vcenter 5.5 to 6

[cliffcahill]

Upgrading to vCenter Server 6.0 best practices (2109772) | VMware KB

Snapshot VMs Etc before upgrade

Mount vCenter ISO to VMs being upgrade -  The Wizard is very intuitive.

Order Should be

1. SSO/PSC first
2. vCenter
3. Host 

Remove Snapshots

Best of luck

[jprovine7]

cliffcahill​

Are you talking about all the vm's hosted or the vcenter server because we have a physical server. All the roles such as sso, inventor service etc are all the one server.

[daphnissov]

It's highly recommended you move to the appliance as a VM. The Windows-based vCenter is end of the line in the next release.

[TomHowarth]

Although you can migrate to a Windows hosted version of vCenter, as of vSphere.NEXT (release as yet unknown) there will be no Windows version of vCenter so it is highly recommended that you migrate to the Appliance. Also the architecture of vCenter has changed significantly between vSphere 5 and 6. 

Romain Serre wrote an excellent blog post on the process that can be found here

Step-by-step: Migrate Windows vCenter server to vCSA 6.5u1 -

[jprovine7]

TomHowarth​

Whether I migrate to an appliance or stay on a windows server how can I migrate and not have to manually recreate all my settings when I upgrade?

[jprovine7]

daphnissov​

I believe you can still be on windows up to version 6.5.

Whether I migrate to an appliance or stay on a windows server how can I migrate and not have to manually recreate all my settings when I upgrade?

[daphnissov]

Yes, I didn't say you couldn't be on Windows, I said you shouldn't because Windows is going away.

When you perform an upgrade to the appliance, your Windows-based vCenter server settings are preserved and migrated over. You don't lose those settings and configurations.

[jprovine7]

daphnissov​

If I choose to just run the upgrade on my current vcenter 5.5 windows server and not go to an appliance?

[daphnissov]

First, you don't need to keep mentioning people by name when you respond. They usually get two emails when you do so.

Second, if you do choose to stay with Windows vCenter, you can do an in-place upgrade from 5.5, yes. It is not required you move to the appliance.

[TomHowarth]

I'm sorry but have you bothered to actually read any of the links that people have placed in their replies for you?  Or do you want us to put a point by point list in the thread for you?

There is an excellent VMware Paper on upgrading from vSphere 5.5 U3 to 6.5U1. 

it goes though the process. 

Yes you can still use a Windows based vCenter for vCenter 6.5, but why would you when there is an excellent migration tool that will move you to the fully functional Appliance whilst keeping all of your settings.

[jprovine7]

Yes I have read all the links that I have been sent and have done extensive testing as well - I appreciate you willingness to respond

[TomHowarth]

I can understand your reticence regarding the upgrade as vCenter is the heart of your environment, but the upgrade process is well worked out and a well travelled path.  I would seriously recommend you moving to the Appliance as this is VMware's recommended position for 6.5U1.  the Appliance is fully featured now with no limitations

[jprovine7]

I will eventually investigate the appliance option but I am not the only one who has the say so on moving from physical to virtual - I am outnumbered. This will be the first upgrade I have ever done before and the system was built and maintained by a previous admin. So as well as figuring out how they configured it I am also trying to upgrade it. So far all my test upgrades have failed in some way, right not is is an SSL cert issue and yes I read and tried the KB article where you step through the almost the entire uninstall of the vcenter (test system) recreate a default SSL and then try to upgrade again and it still fails on the same thing. It looks like there is a significant platform change between 5.5 and 6.0 and you cannot just export the database from the old server and import it into a fresh install of 6.0. The only option,in my current situation, appears to try to upgrade to 6.0 on the vcenter 5 server I have now and hope it works. That would be the great thing about having a virtual appliance I could snapshot and roll back if it failed . So I guess I am trying to find away I can roll back to 5.5 if the 6.0 upgrade fails before going forward. Things will still basically work without the vcenter but if I can avoid all the pain breaking it would create I would like to try to find it.

[daphnissov]

The nice thing about migrating to the appliance is the rollback procedure:  You simple start up your physical vCenter and be back up and running. You won't have that luxury with an in-place Windows upgrade of vCenter. Further, if you *are* getting upgrade failures, then you need to open an SR to get it investigated.

[TomHowarth]

As chip Zeller says another benefit of migration is the fact that your original vCenter is not disrupted.  you are doubly disadvantaged as your vCenter is still physical, so you do not even have the option of a snapshot to protect provide a roll back.

the only way you can be safe is to have a 100% verified full back up of your environment prior to your disruptive upgrade.

this is about risk management.  present the option to your superiors explain the benefits and also the fact that it actually lowers the associated migration risks inherent with a physical device. 

[jprovine7]

I will continue to bring the issue before my superiors but until the time that they change their minds I need to find a good way to at least get to 6 and then to 6.5 to stay current.

[TomHowarth]

the links below run thought the upgrade process

Step by Step procedure on upgrading windows vCenter 5.5 to windows vCenter 6.5 - vSphere Arena

Upgrading or Migrating vCenter Server 5.5 on Windows to version 6.5 - Tech Communications Video Blog...

I hope this helps