My vSphere 6 Lab Upgrade Checklist

Hi there,

I used this to upgrade my lab to a variety of new versions - LI 3.0, VCSA 6.00 U1, VUM 6.00 U1, vR Ops 6.1, ESXi 6.00 U1, VMware Tools, and PowerCLI 6.0 R2.  The order is important too (KB 2109760).  This outline does not take into account any outside dependencies.  In my lab I had everything relatively current so I only need to worry about the proper order.  But if you have a wide range of versions you will need to make sure you are at the minimum levels before you upgrade.  The KB article mention a few sentences ago is very helpful.  As well, I consider this a live document.  Although for the next major update I will go with a new checklist,  before that I will add View, and VIN, into the mix.  They are not here this time as this is a smaller subset of my lab and mostly a test.

Log Insight 3.0

• Is it working now?
• Release Notes OK?
• From (existing in my lab): 2.5
• Minimum version to upgrade from: 2.5.
• Snapshot
• Upgrade
  • Admin UI, Appliance, upload .pak.
• Works?
  • URL
  • UI - see v3.0 in About?
  • See new data come in?
  • CPs work as expected?
• Things OK delete snapshot, otherwise revert and investigate.
• BTW, there is a lot of updates available for Content Packs.  Don’t forget them.
• Reference: bits, docs, upgrade info

VCSA 6.0 U1

• Is it working right now?
• Release notes OK?
• From: 6.00b
• Minimum version to upgrade from: 5.0
• You will need to use an account that is a member of the System Configuration SSO group so you can enable SSH (on VCSA and external PSC(s)) so you can do the update.
• If you have an external PSC snapshot it,
  • Upgrade
    • Connect ISO,
    • SSH to VCSA
    • software-packages install -iso -acceptEulas - wait to continue
    • shutdown reboot -r “Updated to U1”
    • Continue after the UI comes back
• VCSA
  • Upgrade
    • Connect ISO,
    • SSH to VCSA
    • software-packages install -iso -acceptEulas - wait to continue
    • shutdown reboot -r “Updated to U1”
• Works?
  • URL - log in and no errors
  • UI - should show - Build 3018521 in VAMI and Build 3018523 in Web Client.
• Install new CIP - found here
  • remote console should work
  • upload a file should work
• If all OK, delete snapshots, otherwise revert and investigate.
• If all OK then release the CD ISO on both appliances.
• Enable customer improvement - home page
• The VAMI updates repository is likely wrong.
  • Check and replace with https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/647ee3fc-e6c6-4b06-9dc2-f295d12d135c/6.0.0.10000.latest/
• Reference: upgrade, CIP, bits, docs
• Background FYI - PSC(s) and VCSA can be upgraded at the same time.  But, and this is critical, the PSC(s) must be powered up first.

VMware Update Manager 6.0 U1

• Is it working right now (actually was it working before you upgraded vC)?
• Release Notes OK?
• From: 6.00a
• Minimum version to upgrade from: same as per vCenter
• Snapshot
• Upgrade
  • Use Windows vCenter ISO (will need to be extracted first)
  • Several prompts but not many and pretty smooth / fast upgrade.
• Works?
  • vSphere Web Client?
• Everything good?
  • delete snapshot, otherwise revert and investigate.
• Reference: bits, docs,

vRealize Operations 6.1

• Is it working right now?
• Check Management Packs - working?
• Have you customized vR Ops content? If so clone content before upgrade (use obvious naming - site, user, etc).
• Release notes OK?
• From: 6.0.2
• Minimum version to upgrade from: 5.8.4
• Snapshot
• Upgrade
  • Use .pak file, upload in Admin (fqdn/admin) area
  • OS .pak first, and restarted followed by
  • application - do a reset out of the box content
• Works
  • vSphere WEb client - this should work but if not then re-register vCenter.
  • Normal UI - build 6.1.0
  • Copy content back or parts of content that make sense.
• If all OK, delete snap otherwise revert and investigate.
• Reference: OS Update, App Updates, bits, docs

ESXi - 6.0 U1

• Is the hosts working right now?
• Release Notes OK?
• From: 6.00b
• Minimum version to upgrade from: 5.5 U2
• Create baseline for U1,
• Upgrade
  • use baseline
• Works?
  • Check version / build numbers.  Should be 6.0.0.3029758.
• Warning / Alert - watch out for this.  It did not hit me.
• Install Host Embedded Client
  • Use VUM, create baseline, attach, apply.  If you get a 502 error when accessing hosts:
    • For ESXi 5.5U2 and prior, and ESXi 6.0 hosts upgraded from any 5.5U2 or prior version, you will get a 503 error returned after visiting https://<esxhost>/ui/. To resolve this issue, please remove the line starting with /ui from /etc/vmware/rhttpproxy/endpoints.conf and restart rhttpproxy with /etc/init.d/rhttpproxy restart
• Reference: bits, docs, alert, host client bits

VMware Tools

• There is a number of ways to do this.
  • You can click the Upgrade VMware Tools that you see on the Summary page of a VM.
  • You can configure a VM to upgrade VMware Tools on the next reboot.
  • VUM
• I suggest you use the VMware Tools to Match Host and VM Hardware to Match host baselines to do the updates on your VMs.
• Sometimes works good to use a mix of manual click on Summary Tab upgrade, and baselines.
• But get it done.

PowerCLI 6 R2

• Is it working now?
• Release notes OK?
• Upgrade
• Is it working and see new version?
• References: bits, docs,

Have you cleaned up all the snaps?

Update

• 9/15/15 - at the suggestion of Rob Nelson I added in a bit more info around versions.  Thanks Rob.
• 9/15/15 - some spelling / grammar corrections.

Questions or comments accepted and in fact appreciated.

Michael

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