Questions on upgrading from 4.1 to 5.1

[terryp]

I posted the following over in the Vsphere Upgrade forum, and in five days I have gotten ZERO responses. Maybe over there, and even here, is the wrong place to post such things, or maybe I'm not asking easily answerable questions. I'll post it here, too, since it's mostly about Virtual Center, I think. Maybe someone can help me, or tell me what's wrong with my posting that makes it go unanswered. Here we go:

I am about to try to upgrade my  small (1 Virtual Center and 4 ESX hosts) vSphere 4.1 environment to 5.1.  My virtual center database lives on a separate SQL Server 2008R2  server. My virtual center server is virtual, if that matters. I have  upgraded my licenses, and am reading the documentation, to try to  formulate a plan that is fairly immune from causing any downtime to my  virtual machines.

I  am trying to devise a series of steps that are all fairly small, and  such that each step doesn't harm anything, so that if I encounter  trouble, I can take my time about resolving it. Then, when that step is  stable, I can continue to the next step. I want to tell you what I have  in mind, ask a question here and there, and hope you can point out any  mistakes I'm making, and answer my questions. The big picture is:

1. Upgrade Virtual Center, and give it a few days to show me any problems before doing anything else.

2. Upgrade ONE ESX 4.1 host to ESXi 5.1. Convince myself things are okay, before doing any more.

3. Upgrade the other three ESX 4.1 hosts. Make sure all is well.

4. Create new LUNs, formatted with the new VMFS, move my VMs to them, and remove the old LUNs.

If there's anything wrong with that basic plan, please let me know.

More details and questions:

Question:  The docs say my Virtual Center server, running single-sign on,  inventory service, and virtual center server, will need TEN GIGS of RAM.  Is that true? That sounds insane to me.

Question:  Can I install single signon on my Virtual Center 4.1 server HARMLESSLY?  That is, will its installation prevent the 4.1 virtual center server  from working? I hope I can, since that's a totally new feature that I  may have trouble with. I don't want to get into a situation where my old  virtual center server doesn't work, and I can't get the new one  working.

Question:  Can the VI client 4.1 talk to Virtual Center 5.1? Can the VI Client 5.1  talk to Virtual Center 4.1? I  hope the answer to one of those is  'yes'.

Step 1: Create a backup of my virtual center VM (with Vranger, if it matters), and a backup of my SQL database.

Step 2: Install Single Signon. Here is where I hope this doesn't stop Virtual Center 4.1 from working.

Step 3: Upgrade Inventory Service and Virtual Center to 5.1

Step 4: Install VI Client 5.1 on the Virtual Center VM, and on my desktop from which I usually manage my environment.

Step 5: Wait until I'm comfortable that all is well. This may be a day or two (or more).

Question:  How should I upgrade my hosts for maximum safety? I prefer to put a DVD  in the drive, and do it from the console, unless that's not a good way.

Question:  Before I upgrade a host, should I remove the fibre channel cables, so  it cannot see my VMFS LUNs? I think I read that somewhere, and it sounds  like a good thing to do, even if I didn't.

Step 6: Upgrade one ESX 4.1 host to ESXi 5.1. Move a couple of non-essential VMs to it, and give it a day or two to settle.

Step 7: Upgrade the other three ESX hosts.

Step 8: Wait till I'm really, really comfortable with things.

Step 9: Create new VMFS5 LUNs, migrate my VMs to them over time, and remove the old LUNs.

I would greatly appreciate any advice and warning that you might have.

[memaad]

Hi,

Your plan for upgrade sounds good.

The docs say my Virtual Center server, running single-sign on,  inventory service, and virtual center server, will need TEN GIGS of RAM.  Is that true? That sounds insane to me.

>> IF this is mention in dioc, then I would say you go with this recommendation, since we going to install atlead  4-5 service on one machine , like SSO, inventory services, vCenter server upgrade, vSphere web client and update manager.

Can I install single signon on my Virtual Center 4.1 server HARMLESSLY?  That is, will its installation prevent the 4.1 virtual center server  from working? I hope I can, since that's a totally new feature that I  may have trouble with. I don't want to get into a situation where my old  virtual center server doesn't work, and I can't get the new one  working.

>> Yes, you can install SSO on vCenter server machine and then upgrade vCenter server.

Can the VI client 4.1 talk to Virtual Center 5.1? Can the VI Client 5.1  talk to Virtual Center 4.1? I  hope the answer to one of those is  'yes'.

>> VI client 4.1 cannot talk to VC 5.1, so it will prompt you to install 5.1.

IF you have only VI client 5.1, still it will prompt you for VI cleint for 4.1.

Also in 5.1, we recommend using web client where you dont need VI client , unless you have disable SSO.

Regards

Mohammed

[Gkeerthy · Accepted solution]

Question:  The docs say my Virtual Center server, running single-sign on,  inventory service, and virtual center server, will need TEN GIGS of RAM.  Is that true? That sounds insane to me.

if you environment is small you can run all of these in one and ofcouse if you run all these in one sever you need more RAM ...there is no hard limit.

Question:  Can I install single signon on my Virtual Center 4.1 server HARMLESSLY?  That is, will its installation prevent the 4.1 virtual center server  from working? I hope I can, since that's a totally new feature that I  may have trouble with. I don't want to get into a situation where my old  virtual center server doesn't work, and I can't get the new one  working.

normally and if you think in a scalability pespective, it is good to have separate these things... it is safe no issues evey thing will work if you install it on the same server also.

Question:  Can the VI client 4.1 talk to Virtual Center 5.1? Can the VI Client 5.1  talk to Virtual Center 4.1? I  hope the answer to one of those is  'yes'.

Can the VI client 4.1 talk to Virtual Center 5.1? no but Client 5.1  talk to Virtual Center 4.1

Step 1: Create a backup of my virtual center VM (with Vranger, if it matters), and a backup of my SQL database.

Step 2: Install Single Signon. Here is where I hope this doesn't stop Virtual Center 4.1 from working.

Step 3: Upgrade Inventory Service and Virtual Center to 5.1

Step 4: Install VI Client 5.1 on the Virtual Center VM, and on my desktop from which I usually manage my environment.

Step 5: Wait until I'm comfortable that all is well. This may be a day or two (or more).

these steps are ok

Question:  How should I upgrade my hosts for maximum safety? I prefer to put a DVD  in the drive, and do it from the console, unless that's not a good way.

ILO or DRAC what ever method suites to you...fine.

Question:  Before I upgrade a host, should I remove the fibre channel cables, so  it cannot see my VMFS LUNs? I think I read that somewhere, and it sounds  like a good thing to do, even if I didn't.

the esxi installation wont do any thing wrong..to the old VMFS.. it will ask to keep or format the old vMFS... BUT I prefer to remove the cables...BECAUSE we are humans..

Step 6: Upgrade one ESX 4.1 host to ESXi 5.1. Move a couple of non-essential VMs to it, and give it a day or two to settle.

no need ....if the hardware is in the HCL i mean the firmware/driver etc.. for the esx is in the HCL then no issues..

Step 7: Upgrade the other three ESX hosts.

Step 8: Wait till I'm really, really comfortable with things.

Step 9: Create new VMFS5 LUNs, migrate my VMs to them over time, and remove the old LUNs.

allocate new LUN and create VMFS and migrate... THATS it !!!