Upgrading vCenter Server 5.1 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1 when SQL Database is Remote and vCenter Server Heartbeat is Installed

[djciaro]

Hi Guys,

I am in the middle of an upgrade of vSphere 5.1 to vSphere 5.1 Update 1. I have vCenter protected by HB and SQL on a separate machine (also protected by HB) I am also running Syslog, Update manager and Authentication Proxy on vCenter.

I have successfully upgraded HB on all 4 nodes (2 x vCenter & 2 x SQL) and started the upgrade of vCenter and components on the secondary server as per •vCenter Server Heartbeat 6.5 Update 1 Installation on Windows Server 2008 When the Secondary Server is Virtual (PDF)  http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vcenter-server-heartbeat-65-u1-installation-windows-2008-virtual-guide.pdf

I have got to step 3.c

3 Change the server role to Primary/active:

a Launch the vCenter Server Heartbeat Configure Server wizard and click the Machine tab. Change the server role for the current (Primary) server to Active and click Finish.

b Using the Service Control Manager, start the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service.

c Using the vCenter Server Heartbeat Console, verify that all status icons on the Server: Summary page are green indicating that the Start process has completed and all protected services are started.

d Using the Service Control Manager, stop the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service.

As the vCenter service does not start I am stuck at this point. As far as I am concerned the error is perfectly logical. I have updated vCenter using the secondary server and then I am trying to connect (as per guide) with another version which fails.

If I continue with the services stop and launch  the SSO installer it tries to perform an uninstall!

Am I missing something in this upgrade?

Regards

Ciaran

[dmihaescu]

Hi Ciaran,

Did you perform step "2. Before proceeding with the upgrade procedure, perform a restore of the vCenter Server database"

This is needed so that vCenter will also start on the Primary after you upgrade the Secondary.

[djciaro]

Hi

Many thanks for the reply.

No I did not perform this step as per the guide:

You have the following options:

■ If you are upgrading from vCenter Server 5.0 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1, continue with Step 2.

■ If you are upgrading from vCenter Server 5.1 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1, go to Step 3.

I go to step 3 (skipping step 2) as I am upgrading 5.1 to 5.1 update 1

regards

Ciarán

[dmihaescu]

When you upgraded the Secondary, did you select at step 11 to "Do not overwrite, leave the existing database in place,"?

What is the error that you have in the logs (vpxd.log)?

[djciaro]

Hi

Yes I have performed step 11.

Perhaps I did not mention it, I can use vCenter on the secondary node with all components updated to 5.1 Update1 and everything works fine.

When I want to contiinue with the upgrade (on primary node) the starting of vCenter service fails with the error: Event 1000 VMware VirtualCenter server failed to start, Database version 511 is incompatible with this release of VirtualCenter.

regards

[dmihaescu]

Do you have a backup of the vCenter DB before doing the upgrade on the secondary, the one you took at step 4 on the Secondary?

You need to restore this DB and vCenter will start on the Primary and then upgrade it to 5.1 U1.

[djciaro]

Hi

A restore makes sense but it is not in the steps (the restore is only mentioned for step 2 (upgrading from vCenter Server 5.0 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1) not step 3:

Upgrading the Primary Server Continuation of the upgrade process assumes the upgrade of the Secondary server completed successfully.

Procedure 1 You have the following options: ■ If you are upgrading from vCenter Server 5.0 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1, continue with Step 2. ■ If you are upgrading from vCenter Server 5.1 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1, go to Step 3.

2 Before proceeding with the upgrade procedure, perform a restore of the vCenter Server database, Single Sign-On database, VMware Update Manager database, and SSL certificates that were backed up at Step 4 on the Secondary Server.

3 Change the server role to Primary/active:

a Launch the vCenter Server Heartbeat Configure Server wizard and click the Machine tab. Change the server role for the current (Primary) server to Active and click Finish.

b Using the Service Control Manager, start the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service.

c Using the vCenter Server Heartbeat Console, verify that all status icons on the Server: Summary page are green indicating that the Start process has completed and all protected services are started. d Using the Service Control Manager, stop the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service.

4 You have the following options:

■ If you are upgrading from vCenter Server 5.0 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1, go to Step 6.

■ If you are upgrading from vCenter Server 5.1 to vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1, continue with Step 5.

5 Upgrade Single Sign-On

a Start VMware vCenter Installer for the version you want to upgrade to and select VMware vCenter Single Sign On from the list.

b Proceed with the installation.

c In the event that errors are encountered during the upgrade process, research the cause of the upgrade. If the issue can be resolved then it is safe to proceed with the upgrade procedure.

6 Start VMware vCenter Installer for the version you want to upgrade to and select VMware vCenter Inventory Service from the list.

7 When prompted, select Do not overwrite. Leave my existing database in place.

8 From the VMware vCenter Installer for the version you want to upgrade to, select vCenter Server from the list.

the rest continues on page 63 I have checked 4 different upgrade documents for earlier versions and they all show more or less the same steps.

[dmihaescu]

I guess the procedure needs to be updated.

Did the upgrade work after restoring the DB?

[djciaro]

Hi I have a SR open with VMware since last week and I am waiting for their feedback. I found another discussion for upgrading with an older version. Interesting as ther eis no mention of a restore of the DB, the main difference seems to be step 9.

https://communities.vmware.com/thread/391115

Create a backup of your database, or if your vCenter Server is a virtual machine, make a snapshot of the virtual machine. ·       

Ensure that your SQL or Oracle clients are at the supported version.  See Installing vCenter Server 5.0 best practices (2003790) for more information. ·       

Verify that all required database permissions have been applied to the database.  See Installing vCenter Server 5.0 best practices (2003790) and the vSphere Upgrade Guide for more information. ·       

Ensure that your Secondary Node is active. In order to perform the upgrade, follow these steps below:

1.      Stop the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service, however, leave protected applications running on both nodes by going to Start > Run > services.msc.

2.      Set the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Manual on both nodes.

3.      Perform a vCenter Server 5.0 upgrade on the Secondary Node.  Ensure that the database is successfully upgraded during the install wizard.

4.      Reboot and test the vCenter Server 5.0 installlation on the Secondary Node in order to ensure that it is functioning correctly.  Leave the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Manual at this time.

5.      After successful testing, set the VMware VirtualCenter Server service and the VMware VirtualCenter Management WebServices service to Manual, while still ensuring that the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service is set to Manual.

6.      Start the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service and make sure it comes up correctly.  It won't be able to replicate with the other node because of version differences.

7.      Set the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Automatic.

8.      Now shutdown the Secondary Node.

9.      Enable the Public NIC on the Primary Node:

a.      Open a command prompt and navigate to the following directory: cd “%ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat\R2\Bin”

b.      Run the command:

 nfpktfltr.exe setfilter PassThru

c.      Verify the packet filter’s state to be passthru by running the command:

 nfpktfltr.exe getstate

d.      Test connectivity by performing a ping out over Public NIC, such as to a remote workstation with using a command such as: ping

10.    Run the vCenter Server 5.0 Upgrade installation. Note: Do not overwrite the existing database and do not reboot after installation is complete.

11.   Set the VMware VirtualCenter Server service and VMware VirtualCenter Management WebServices service to  Manual.

12.   Set the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Automatic.

13.   Shutdown the Primary Node.  VMware vCenter Heartbeat will still think it is passive.

14.   Power on the Secondary (Active) Node.  Ensure that the VMware vCenter Heartbeat server is healthy and that vCenter Server 5.0 tests successfully.

15.   Now power on the Primary (Passive) Node. Ensure Replication activates and is healthy.

16.   Make the Primary Node active.  Ensure that replication activates and is healthy.

17.   Test vCenter Server, and ensure it tests successfully.

What do you make of that procedure?

Thanks again for your time

[djciaro · Accepted solution]

Hi Guys, VMware have finally updated the documentation to reflect the correct steps to be followed: https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/heartbeat_pubs.html Select 6.5 U1 from the drop down and you'll see the last update date for each of the docs is now 10/10/2013. The guide now specifically states to restore the vCenter database before proceeding with any other steps, this is copied below for your convenience: "Upgrading the Primary Server Continuation of the upgrade process assumes the upgrade of the Secondary server completed successfully. Procedure 1 Before proceeding with the upgrade procedure, perform a restore of the vCenter Server database, Single Sign-On database, VMware Update Manager database, and SSL certificates that were backed up at Step 4 on the Secondary Server. regards Ciarán