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DavidHLevine
Contributor
Contributor

Upgrading 5.5 --> 6.5, VCSA, New Mgmt Network

Hi,

I am admittedly very rusty with Vmware administration, so I figured I would bounce this off you all;

I have 6 hosts running 5.5 and a Windows 2008 R2 guest with vCenter 5.5 managing it. I am (finally) upgrading the hosts - the goal is to replace the 6 hosts with 4. This is all fine, but I think I want to move vCenter from a Windows guest to a VCSA, and get us up to 6.5 in the process. I think this will allow me to get vCenter updated, and then let me phase out the old 5.5 hosts, and replace them with the new 6.5 hosts one by one.

My questions are;

1. Has anyone had any issues with moving from Windows based vCenter 5.5 to VCSA 6.5 using the wizard / migration tool? It seems so simple, I just haven't had the opportunity to play in a lab at all.

2. I would really like to get the vCenter server and esxi host's management network interfaces onto a different subnet. Right now, they are on the same subnet as our "production" network with the majority of servers and client machines. I am not quite sure how to implement this transition... has anyone done something similar? Is it feasible to have a vCenter server manage esxi hosts in two different subnets?

TIA -

David

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RajeevVCP4
Expert
Expert

Hi David

Please let me know about these then I can give you basic idea how to do it.

1. Is you SSO embedded your external

2. Where is your update manager installed (on separate or with VC)

3. Are you using standard switch or DVS ?
4 What type data base are you using

5. Any customize data base is there, I mean DB schema

Rajeev Chauhan
VCIX-DCV6.5/VSAN/VXRAIL
Please mark help full or correct if my answer is use full for you
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MikeStoica
Expert
Expert

Here are some posts that will help you The vSphere Upgrade Blog Series (Wrap-Up) - VMware vSphere Blog . You should check also that your hardware supports the new version

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ChrisFD2
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

What do you have using vCenter? SRM, Backup, Citrix etc?

I ask as more often than not (especially in a small environment such as yours) it may be easier to install a new vCenter Appliance in the new management subnet and then seize the hosts. Then one by one you can migrate the hosts over to the new management network, set up vSwitches, Port Groups etc and then move the VMs across.

Upgrading form 5.5 to 6.5 can often be quite painful if your vCenter server is not at optimum health.

Regards,
Chris
VCIX-DCV 2023 | VCIX-NV 2023 | vExpert *** | CCNA R&S
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DavidHLevine
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Rajeev,

To answer your questions:

1. Our SSO is internal

2. Update Manager is with the vCenter, not separate

3. Using standard vSwitches

4. Using the default MSSQL Express DB, on the vCenter server

5. We have not customized anything with vCenter...

Thanks!

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DavidHLevine
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks Mike - I will review;

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DavidHLevine
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Chris,

Good questions; We are using a backup software that talks with vCenter... you can laugh, but we are still using vRanger. It works. We checked with them for support for 6.5 / VCSA... there is a minor update we need, but its supported.

We don't have much else that hooks direct to vCenter. It is true that ours is a very small environment. Our vCenter is pretty clean / plain vanilla, but thanks for the idea on upgrade process.

Thanks!

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RajeevVCP4
Expert
Expert

Hi David

I saw your reply,

Yes it is simple but I would suggest upgrade 5.5 to 6.5 U3 windows based then migrate it to 6.5 Appliances

I saw lot of issue from 5.5 to direct 6.5 ( Migration).

Some time we required upgrade first 6.0 U1 then U3.

In 6.5 different subnet on host will support for vmotion,

Before doing this make sure different subnet vm is able to ping your esxi host , other wise you would not able manage hosts from this appliances

Rajeev Chauhan
VCIX-DCV6.5/VSAN/VXRAIL
Please mark help full or correct if my answer is use full for you
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