vCenter VCSA on same ESXi server

[mqzd23]

We'll be retiring our physical vCenter server soon and planning to install a VCSA VM on the same ESXi server the VCSA manages. From what I read online, running VCSA on the same ESXi server it manages is totally fine. We have two ESXi servers on different sites and since they're in different sites connected by only slow links, we don't use vMotion or use any live migration mechanisms. Therefor, I want to know how updating an ESXi server from a VCSA VM that resides on the same ESXi server is going to work in practice? Because to my knowledge, when updating an ESXi server, it needs to be placed in maintance mode but if I put it in maintenance mode, I have to shut down the VCSA VM, don't I? So that implies a  problem for me.

Can anyone shed some light on how this would work in my scenario? Or is updating not possible (without vMotion) in my setup?

Thanks in advance

[d3m1g0d]

This is really not an ideal setup. Nevertheless, in this case you could upgrade/patch your ESXi host directly from the host using esxcli. Without being able to leverage vMotion the upgrade would of course require a downtime of all VMs residing on that ESXi host. 

See the official docs for more information: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/8.0/vsphere-esxi-upgrade/GUID-02D172FC-BB21-4087-BA27-5B0D...

[ptarnawski]

Hey @mqzd23 ,

If you are not able to migrate VMs including vCenter one, You can shut down your vCenter and put your ESXi host in MM directly from ESXi GUI -> go to actions and Enter Maintenance Mode

Also, you can do it from the command line! 

Here you have a video 3 easy ways to upgrade your ESXi:

https://youtu.be/y00UgeCFvNQ?feature=shared

[mqzd23]

@d3m1g0d @ptarnawski

Hi, thanks for your reply's. Yes i'm familiar with that way of updating (done it couple of times), thanks for the tip though! I was just confused about updating and VCSA being on the same host but you guys answered my question about that. Not possible through vCenter.

Thanks for the info. Have a nice day.