Vmware upgrade path 3.5 to 4.1i

[yeahman4]

Hi all,

What's our best option, we're currently on VCentre server v4.0.0 build 208111 with vmware view mgr 4.0, ESX hosts are 3.5.0 build-259926

We'd like to go to vmware v4.1 envrionment using esx4.1i. (embedded)

A few questions I need help with please:

Embedded ESX or not?

Why would one upgrade from esx 3.5 esx 4.1/ instead of 4.1i - I thought service console was a thing of the past?

Also can you please confirm that there's no upgrade from non- embedded to embedded - ie it's a clean install, you loose all your settings?

Path of upgrade:

I've heard it's best to upgrade to 4.0 U1 first and then go to 4.1 ?

as we're going to be embedded esx version, I'm guessing we'll need to do a clean build on the esx server after we've upgrade VC to 4.1 and view to 4.5. Please confirm this.

Esx 3.5 & 4.1i shared clusters during upgrade:

Also I have questions regarding co-existing versions of esx 3.5 with 4.1i - as I understand - we should be able to do a rolling upgrade where we'll have both versions of esx within the same cluster sharing resource pools that are being provisioned by vmware view dynamically - so long as we don't upgrade the virtual hardware & vmware tools untill all esx hosts are upgraded.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[RParker · Accepted solution]

What's our best option, we're currently on VCentre server v4.0.0 build 208111 with vmware view mgr 4.0, ESX hosts are 3.5.0 build-259926

You don't upgrade, migrate the VM's off, install ESX 4.1 NEW and put your VM's back.

It's accepted practice that upgrading isn't a good idea, it's best to install as NEW.

If you do find it easier to upgrade, use VM update manager.

I've heard it's best to upgrade to 4.0 U1 first and then go to 4.1 ?

ESX isn't like Windows, there is no requirement to install an intermediate to get to the latest build. Also this is part of the reason you install as new rather than upgrade, to eliminate any possibility of issues as a result.

Embedded ESX or not?

ALL ESX versions are the same. ALL. The ONLY difference is console or no console, but remote command line makes this part easy also. If you are using Flash drive, use embedded. If not, use ESXi. If you prefer the console instead install ESX, it really makes NO difference, it's whatever you are comfortable with and if you using blades, embedded makes more sense, most cases you don't need or have local disks anyway.

Also I have questions regarding co-existing versions of esx 3.5 with 4.1i

They will co-exist just fine.

[yeahman4]

Excellent thanks for the reply.

Just some clarification please:

Going back to embedded or not - won't future versions of ESX not have the service console or the service console will be a vm floating somewhere in the cluster..... I've heard they're phasing out the service console in favour of cmd line (powercli)?

3.5 and 4.1 co-existing

would we be able to upgrade a host within a esx3.5 cluster, and allow vms to migrate onto it using DRS & HA? as we're a vdi environment it's paramount that HA with DRS are workable throughout the upgrade.

New question regarding Resource Pools

What's the maximum allowed hosts within a resource pool, I know it's 32 hosts per cluster, but can you stretch resource pools over clusters? I'm asking cos our load balancing over resource pools is done via Active directory groups that are often out of date, and just aren't dynamic enough at load balancing the clusters, so short of writing a funky script to load balance the clusters dynamically, wouldn't if be easiest to create really large resource pools and let HA/DRS balance things?

Please let me know your thoughts

Thanks

Andrew

[piaroa]

Hello, 3.5 and 4.1 will co-exist just fine with HA & DRS enabled.

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