SRM 5.1 to 6.x

[mekki]

I'm trying to verify the upgrade path to go from an environment of vSphere 5.1 to 6.x

• Vcenter 5.1
• SRM 5.1 – using both Vsphere replication appliance and Storage based replication
• ESX 5.1

The issue I'm having is with understanding the SRM portion of the upgrade

As per the SRM upgrade guide you must perform an upgrade to 5.5/5.8 SRM before you can go to 6.x

So does this mean that I would have to upgrade vcenter to 5.5 then to 6.x also? The reason I ask is that if I upgrade vcenter to version 6

SRM will not be compatible.

These are the steps taken from the SRM upgrade guide

1. Upgrade all components of vCenter Server on the protected site. <--- QUESTION :Does this need to be completed twice before upgrade . 5.1 to 5.5 (This is to allow upgrade to SRM5.5/5.8)
2. If you use vSphere Replication, upgrade the vSphere Replication deployment on the protected site.
3. Upgrade Site Recovery Manager Server on the protected site. <-- 5.1 to 5.5 (  This is to allow upgrade to SRM6)
4. If you use array-based replication, upgrade the storage replication adapters (SRA) on the protected site. Upgrade all components of vCenter Server on the recovery site.
5. If you use vSphere Replication, upgrade the vSphere Replication deployment on the recovery site
6. Upgrade Site Recovery Manager Server on the recovery site.
7. If you use array-based replication, upgrade the  storage replication adapters (SRA) on the recovery site.
8. Verify the connection between the Site Recovery Manager sites
9. Verify that your protection groups and recovery plans are still valid.
10. Upgrade ESXi Server on the recovery site.
11. Upgrade ESXi Server on the protected site.
12. Upgrade the virtual hardware and VMware Tools on the virtual machines on the ESXi hosts.

[Techie01]

AFAIK, what you read and planned is correct.  You have to go to 5.5 or 5.8 first before going into 6.0 . Some points on this.

1. If you are going to SRM 6.1 , then from 5.5/5.8 you have to go to 6.0 first and then only upgrade to 6.1.  Direct upgrade to 6.1 from 5.5/5.8 is not supported

2. In your steps you have missed upgrading vCenter 5.1 in recovery side ( in between step 4- 5)

3. There is no need to upgrade ESXI from 5.1 to 5.5 and to 6.0. ESXi 5.1 is supported in 6.0/5.5/5.8 of SRM. SO you can directly upgrade esxi to final version

4. Once you reach to 5.8 version, start using webclient for SRM management. I remember there was one major bug which caused VR configuration to be wiped if vspehre client is used for management of VR appliance

5. I believe from SRM 5.5 or 5.8, VRMS and VRs are made into single appliance so no need for two different appliances. I hope upgrade also works the same way

[mekki]

Thanks techie01,

So for the srm upgrade to 5.5/5.8, do I have to upgrade vcenter to 5.5 first?

Right now I'm assuming so because you have to get a 5.5 vcenter to get a 5.5 or 5.8 SRM

Also I've completed single step upgrade of SRM and vcenter before this two step upgrade seems a tad more complicated.

[Techie01 · Accepted solution]

Yes. VC to be at 5.5

I believe that things "may" work with single step upgrade to 6.0. But , since that is not supported, it is a risk which you would be taking.

Lot of time, the restrictions on upgrades and compatibility arises due to lack of testing/certification done and not necessarily due to known product bugs.

[mekki]

thanks for the assist. i'll let you know how it goes.