Moving to vSphere 6

[bigdazza75]

Current Env:

Single Windows vCenter server running 5.0.0.29542 using external SQL DB

10 Hosts running 5.0.0 Update 2

~250 VMs

Objective:

1. Upgrade environment to latest version.

2. Remove dependency on external DB

Provisional plan for vCenter:

The simplest way forward would have been an in-place upgrade of the Windows vCenter, switching it to PostgreSQL, but that only supports 200 VMs :smileyangry:. So, I assume the only way forward without an external DB is:

1. Run in-place upgrade of Windows vCenter to 6.0 U1 in embedded mode, keeping external DB

2. Install second vCenter VCSA embedded, joining it to the SSO domain of the current one

3. Decommission the Windows vCenter as per VMware KB: Decommissioning the vCenter Server or a Platform Services Controller

4. Upgrade hosts

Is this right?

Any easier transitions?

Any gotchas?

I assume I'd have to manually re-point the hosts to the second vCenter without an LB?

Anyone out there running Windows embedded PostgreSQL with > 200 VMs?

Thanks

[jnord]

Personally I would not do this I think it scales better and gives you better recovery options. (Remove dependency on external DB)

But this is how I would do it

1. 1.    In place upgrade
2. 2.    Install DB local
3. 3.    Move DB to local from external.

Again I would really keep them separate unless this is a really small site.

[bigdazza75]

Keep what separate?... SQL & vCenter, or PSC & vCenter?