Upgrade from 3.5 to Vsphere

[GreenIT]

We are planning to upgrade Vmware Infrastructure (3.5) to Vpshere 4. Current Vcenter (2.5) is on a 32 bit physical server and database (sql server 2005) on another physical server. We are planning the following approach:

1. Build a new 64 bit windows server 2008 and install sql server 2005 on same server.

2. Backup and restore Database from the current sql server to the new server (64 bit)

3. Install Vshpere on the new server.

4. We would have now two parallel setups A- Vcenter 2.5 (existing) and B – Vsphere. (new)

5. Disconnect ESX from vcenter 2.5 and connect them to vshpere

6. Use Update Manager to upgrade ESX 3.5 to Vshpere 4

We are planning parallel systems just in case we have issues in Vsphere, we can still use the vcenter 2.5. Could you please comment on the above approach? Also since we do not have sqlserver express, we do not need the data migration tool. Is that right?

Thanks!

[Troy_Clavell]

you're plan will work, however, using VUM to get to vSphere 4.x in my opinion isn't the right path to take. Once you get all your VI3 Hosts removed and added into your vCenter 4.1 instance, why not do a rolling rebuild. A rolling rebuild will give you clean install, plus it will give you the ability to flash firmware on your hardware, plus it will probably be quicker than using VUM.

....on a side note, I would if you could, use a remote SQL Server. This will help protect your vCenter Server from a crash. If vCenter goes down and the DB is remote, you can have your environment recovered within a very short period of time.

[GreenIT]

Good Morning,

I have the following questions regarding Data Migration tool:

1. Since we are using a sql server 2005 Std, should we still use the data migration tool to transfer the licensing and other configuration?

2. When we run the data migration tool on VMware Infrastructure 3.5, does it modify /update the existing configuration or it just a reads the current configuration/setup?

Thanks,

[Troy_Clavell]

I have the following questions regarding Data Migration tool:

1. Since we are using a sql server 2005 Std, should we still use the data migration tool to transfer the licensing and other configuration?

The Data Migration Tool is designed for SQL Express to SQL Express move. For SQL Standard see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/7960893

2. When we run the data migration tool on VMware Infrastructure 3.5, does it modify /update the existing configuration or it just a reads the current configuration/setup?

see answer above.

[GreenIT]

Thanks! I want to create another database for Vsphere (under the same instance where Vcenter 2.5 database is running). Backup and restore the original (Vcenter 2.5) database to this new Vshpere database. Then start the Vsphere install on the new 64 bit server and point the DSN to the new Vsphere database. This way I retain the Vcenter 2.5 configuration/setup and have a parrallel Vpshere setup.

Any comments on the above approach?

Thanks very much!

[Troy_Clavell]

Thanks! I want to create another database for Vsphere (under the same instance where Vcenter 2.5 database is running). Backup and restore the original (Vcenter 2.5) database to this new Vshpere database. Then start the Vsphere install on the new 64 bit server and point the DSN to the new Vsphere database. This way I retain the Vcenter 2.5 configuration/setup and have a parrallel Vpshere setup.

Yes, that will work

One thing you need to do is to copy the SSL directory out of your vCenter 2.5 instance to the new vCenter Server prior to the rebuild of your vCenter 4.x Server, otherwise you have to install 2.5, then upgrade to 4.x

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1014314

[davel1970]

Hi,

Also don't forget about the license service the VI3 uses. We're also in the process of going from 3.0.2 to vSphere, and we're keeping the old vCenter server around until all the VI3 hosts have been upgraded/replaced.

Cheers,

Dave