Start fresh with new vCenter 5.5 install vs upgrade?

[jmay]

I've been trying to get my vCenter Server Appliance 5.1 install to migrate to 5.5 OK, but it's giving me headaches.  Some interface elements are missing, I can't get consoles to work, etc.

That said, can I just start with a fresh vCenter Server Appliance install 5.5 instead?  What settings are even stored within vCenter vs. the individual ESXi host machines?  Is this OK to do on a live system?

- John

[bleibold]

Hey RaymondG,

I've done upgrades both ways, in place and standing up a new environment.  There advantages and disadvantages to both options.  For this latest upgrade, we did a bit of both, we moved to a new vCenter server but used the existing database.  It went fine, outside of a few issues with old SSL certs, the vCenter upgrade/move went smoothly with no downtime.

Bob