Upgrading vSphere from 4.1

[bseymour]

I have a 4.1 environment that I want to upgrade before moving to 5.5. I have an existing 5.0 Update Patch Level 3 vCenter environment. I want to combine the 41. into the 5.0 and then upgrade. The hsots in the 4.1 environment are using standard vSwitches with no distributed. I was thinking that I would disconnect the hosts from vCenter 4.1 and then add them into thier own cluster in vCenter 5.0. At that point I could just upgrade the hosts to 5.0. Once all the host have been moved I would decom the 4.1 vCenter Server and then start plans for upgrading to 5.5.

Any thoughts or concerns?

If I disconnect the hosts that should turn off the vms right?

I know that 5.0 update 3 can manage the 4.1 esxi 702113 hosts from the interoperability matrix.

Suggestions?

[abhilashhb]

Sounds like a good plan

If I disconnect the hosts that should turn off the vms right?

No, Disconnecting the hosts from vCenter will not turn them off. They will run fine but they won't be managed centrally/. Once you add the hosts back to new vCenter they all can be managed centrally.

I would suggest you to disconnect and then remove the hosts from the old vCenter so that the vCenter agent will be uninstalled successfully.

You have also done your homework on interoperability which is good. I do not see any other issues here. Hope you are not running vCenter(5.0U3) with express edition. Be aware that it supports smaller inventory. Just be cautious about that.

[khanduala]

I think your queries are answered.

Not sure which upgrade method you will use, but I would suggest to use Update Manager for upgrades.