VMware upgrade 17.0.2 to 17.5 not smooth, odd, but ultimately successful (FYI post)

[vmware_usr7]

1. I've had VMware 17.0.2 installed for the longest time, no issues.
2. Got prompt today to upgrade to 17.5. I accepted prompt. Tangential side issue: Please modify the VMware upgrade prompt to have an option to upgrade but tell the user where the download is stored, or at least let the user select the download location. I accept these prompts then have to find the download and re-download in order to have an archival copy.
3. VMware 17.5 seemed to do its work, told me I needed to reboot, I accepted a reboot prompt, system rebooted, old VMware 17.0.2 was installed, no further prompting. I downloaded 17.5 and manually initiated the upgrade which completed. Note, the reboot prompt was rather verbose but I had assumed it said it needed to reboot to complete installation but I'm not 100% sure. VMware likely knows their own UX ... whatever it was, perhaps there should be some post-reboot prompting or action. This was a weird UX.
4. When starting VMware 17.5 it prompted me to upgrade from CBC to XTS. I chose not to upgrade. I did this out of my own wisdom but I found the details presented by VMware as to what this meant overall was wanting. I had to search around re VMware CBS vs XTS... there is hardly any mention anywhere... even the blog for the product says no problems have been seen, but please backup but the blog doesn't really call out the benefits of upgrading, or the downsides of not upgrading. (Maybe there are older blog entries so forgive if missed I clicked link presented by VMware, and I searched via search engine, looked briefly at top hits.) 

Regarding CBC to XTS:

• This seems like an optional upgrade.
• This seems like something users should not do without first backing up their systems.
• I do not like the UX of a new VMware upgrade asking if I want to upgrade as though it's a easy-street lightweight thing. This sounds like a huge change which is option. I think a better approach would be to inform the user with a notification that cannot be easily clicked to begin upgrade... let the user know that they can upgrade by clicking here, have an extra page or something. Reason: Users may click quicky and they really should not do that... they should understand what the upgrade means and they should most definitely back up first. VMware does not promote that avenue with the current UX.
• I chose not the upgrade so am still on CBC... I'm now wondering if I'll be prompted again on this... I did not second time I started... so then it must not be critical... so why is it presented as a defacto "we want you to do this now" prompt at upgrade? I've been on 17.0.2 for a long while now, been working great, why would I perform an encryption upgrade on major GB of VM data when I'm in the midst of work and a backup should be performed first. So, again, this should not be a easy "EULA style" click thing... you know, where users just click because they are moving forward.... because it's a serious upgrade and should be handled with integrity not quick click "no big deal" type of thing.
• I searched around could not find much on CBC to XTS and everything says Tech Preview... I'd prefer to be asked if I'm interested but that's optional for, say, 6 months, or a year. When VMware nears a point where it wants customers to upgrade ... maybe be more forceful or give a time limit. But for a new encryption preview, I think the upgrade should not be prompted with great chance of user clicking Yes without having backed up.
• I'm looking forward to upgrading after backing up one day soon when I have spare time (today is not the day). For now, I'm glad I did not backup... my propensity to want the latest would have sidetracked me for no great reason today, possibly compromising a very important VM (due to my own no-backup hasty clicking to move to XTS), if that makes sense.

Overall, great product, thanks... the above is just feedback fwiw... things are fine, but did not like this experience to a certain degree, hope fb helps, thanks for your efforts!

[vmware_usr7]

A quick follow-up: Was just thinking, if VMware were truly serious that users should, for maximum safety and security of their valued VMs, perform a full backup before beginning the CBC to XTS upgrade, you would imagine a prompt such as the following...

"While we are excited about the advantages of moving from CBC to XTS, we do not recommend you upgrading until after you have performed a full backup of your VM. Have you performed a full backup of your VMs, and are you now ready to upgrade from CBC to our latest and greatest encryption offering?"

See the difference? The message as it really is does not really care if the user backs up first even though the blog (which you must get to indirectly) states you should backup. The actual upgrade wants you to upgrade now/today, backups or not. It is this latter part I have an issue with. Thanks again for listening and the great product.

[vmware_usr7]

Note the below screenshot of the upgrade encryption prompt...

• I'm getting this prompt when I start VMs. Is there a way to disable it, or have it only presented once a month or week until I'm ready?
• Suggestion: Along with earlier comments, perhaps Upgrade should not be the default dialog box button since enter will accept that choice.
• It references KB https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/93071 ... This KB does not explain the benefits, why this beneficial or happening. I read some crypto info on CBC vs XTS but would be nice for product announcement around upgrading to have layperson explanation. At that KB, after reading 8 detailed items of text, there is a note at the bottom of the page "Note: This feature is for VMware Workstation and Fusion Tech Preview 2023 only." ... this caused me some concern... why am I being pushed out a Tech Preview of something... I am thinking this KB may be dated, maybe XTS has exited Tech Preview stage, but unclear... so again, a good portion of my feedback relates to the presentation of all this. (But if Tech Preview is not relevant, not your best foot forward with something that may be more mature.)

Thanks.

[louyo]

Thanks for the heads up.

[vmware_usr7]

Today I finally had a chance to backup my 17.0.2 VM in prep for CBC-to-XTS 17.5 upgrade. After backup, I started the VM, usual upgrade prompt, clicked Upgrade... upgrade took only a few seconds... then booted into OS... not much drama...

...I'm guessing this was quick because of partial instead of full encryption.

Some follow-up points in case any VMware reviews any of this feedback...

• My upgrade was quick... if that's due to partial encryption, or if VMware Workstation can otherwise estimate the required time, it might be helpful for the user to be prompted with an estimation of time impact. Had I know this would be relatively quick, I might have opted to backup the VM a couple of weeks ago (but to be clear, I definitely had no time to backup/upgrade on the day of the original Upgrade prompt... so prior feedback there still stands).
• A case in point on my earlier feedback... my steps to upgrade:
  1. Assess VM, check size, snapshots, etc. I observed ~400GB VM size, several snapshots. I did not want to backup 400GB if I could avoid it...
  2. Delete snapshots, compress disks, reclaim about half of the space, where the resulting VM size was ~200GB.
  3. Backup the VM.
  4. Restart VMware, click to start VM, click Upgrade, a few seconds later it was finished, booted just fine.
• It would have been bad for me to hastily click Upgrade the first time observing the prompt.
• Because partially encrypted VMs seem to upgrade quickly, there seems to be an opportunity to let the user know when an upgrade should go quickly. Since backup of a 200GB VM isn't quick... even partial upgrade isn't quick if performed correctly... but knowing the VMware portion of the upgrade (anything but the user's backup) will be quick, may encourage a user to simply backup sooner than later.
• Highlights:
  • It would be nice if Upgrade prompts had info/links to new non-preview KB or info on benefits, what's happening, etc.
  • It would be nice if Upgrade prompts offered if an estimation on the VMware time cost for the upgrade (any time impact beyond the user's backup time).
  • It would be nice if Upgrade prompts defaulted to "Remind me later" instead of Upgrade.

All of this amounts to a nit now that I know about this particular experience... but I cannot assume this beforehand... the main point.

All that said, VMware Workstation Pro is a really awesome product and it's great to be able to purchase a license to use a product that is well-tested and rock solid around so much important data management from handling snapshots, VM disks, all of that... those features work well, and that would not happen without investment in good engineering/testing. I really mean that... when offline after ranting on this Upgrade thing, I was using features and thinking how great the product is.