Yet another upgrade question!

[Sandw0rm]

Hi,

Basically we have two Virtual Centres in linked mode running 4.1.

I am looking to upgrade them this weekend.  The main concern I have is with licencing.  I want to be able to upgrade the VC's first and the hosts later (over the next few months as we need to stage it to to DR / Dev / DMZ / Live).

Is there any problems upgrading just the VC's (especially with licencing) and then upgrading the hosts laer?

Many thanks,

S

[dougdavis22 · Accepted solution]

There's no issue with doing this, in fact it's the correct way i.e. vCenter first.  vCenter 5 will hold license information for ESX/ESXi 4.x hosts as well as ESXi 5.x hosts, you just need to make sure you add your vCenter 5 license keys during or once you've done your vCenter upgrades.  Then, when you're ready, just add ESXi 5.x licenses to vCenter and start upgrading your hosts.

Doug.

[Troy_Clavell]

you will have to break your linked mode configuration and then upgrade your instances. After the first one has been upgraded you can then, during the install of the second, link them again.

[Sandw0rm]

Thanks!

I thought that would be the case - it's just a little worry when I was looking at the licencing on the VMware website and was looking to upgrade the licences it warned that you had to stop using the old licences and I wondered if anything had been put in to stop that.

Though what you have said makes perfect sense and I'll get around to upgrading the VC this weekend and see if I can get a couple of hosts done at the same time.

Many thanks again.

S