ESXi 5.0, upgrade to 5.1 or just wait for 5.5 to be released

[pstoric]

We have an ESXI 5.0 host and I wanted to upgrade to 5.1 to accommodate server 2012 but I heard that the 5.5 release is around the corner. Should I wit for that or upgrade to 5.1?

[vmroyale]

Note: Discussion successfully moved from VMware ESXi 5 to vSphere Upgrade & Install

The improvements in SSO in vSphere 5.5 are likely worth waiting for. If you don't have a pressing need to get to vSphere 5.1 right away, it is probably worth the wait.

[MarVista]

Hello,

It is always recommended to follow the upgrade path from one by next. So I would suggest to go with 5.0 to 5.1. and check how it is behaving in your environment.

Yours,
Mar Vista

[abhilashhb]

It all depends on your needs. Like you said you needed support for 2012 so you wanted to upgrade to 5.1. If the new features do not make sense for you then there is no point upgrading to the newer version. But as they say, the latest the best. So see if its really makes a lot of difference then switch to 5.5. And as vmroyale mentioned, if you have some breathing time till 5.5 releases you might as well wait. I'm sure it will be worth it.

[Gortee]

As someone who has done this path many times let me provide two different theories:

1. Upgrading to 5.1 is a pain due to all the SSO issues you will run into

2. Upgrading to 5.5 during the first few weeks of release could be more of a pain.

At this point if you need server 2012 then I would go the 5.1 path because at least all of it's issues are known and well documented / supported by VMware.  I never want to take my production environments into a new software release day one.  I will be looking at the 5.5 release around Feb. 2014 by then all the issues will have been worked out.  That being said I am running 5.5 beta right now on a test cluster but not in production.  

So simple answer if you have not yet updated to 5.1 (because you don't like the bleeding edge) why go bleeding edge on the next update.

Thanks

[AlbertWT]

Exactly, and infact, I'm in the progress of upgrading all of the environment into 5.1 Update 1b now as we speak. :smileylaugh:

[OscarDavey]

Step to Step Up gradation is always recommended so upgrade first with 5.1..

Take care!

[a_p_]

I'm with vmroyale and would go directly to vSphere/ESXi 5.5.

André

[vjbangis]

It's time to upgrade .

ESXi 5.5 is ready to download.

[tejaaus · Accepted solution]

VMware ESXi 5.5 is released & ready for download. I will suggest to go for ESXi 5.5. Upgrade is very easy & straight forward

Upgrade ESXi 5.1 to 5.5

[pstoric]

Got a message saying that "No network adapters" were detected which is weird because the 5.1 version of ESXi was installed without issue. The NIC I am using is a Realtek RTL81XX, how can I integrate that into the 5.5 ISO?

[AlbertWT]

Is that happening on the HP Blade servers ?

I am facing the same issue with ESXi 5.1 Update 1 on the BL 490c G7, the fix was to update the Virtual Connect and the Flex-10 firmware manually.

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Disclaimer: This email was sent from my iPhone, apologize for any typographical error.

[pstoric]

Actually not a server but desktop. I was using it as a test box but I just find it strange the 5.1 detects my NIC but 5.5 does not.