My presentation from the 2016 North Central Wisconsin VMUG Super VMUG Meeting on upgrading to vSphere 6.0

1. © 2010 VMware Inc. All rights reserved
Tales from the Trenches:
Upgrading to vSphere 6

2. 2
Introduction
• 5 Active VMware Certifications
• Cisco CCENT, EMCISA, Veeam,
NetApp
• Virtual Design Master Season 4 – 3Rd place
•Paul Woodward Jr.
•Twitter - @ExploreVM
•Systems Engineer, Presidio

3. 3
Who doesn’t love Hashtags?!
#SuperVMUG
#PaulWoodwardJr
@SeanPMassey

4. 4
Session Agenda
 Installation order of operations
 vCenter Upgrades
 Bugs I’ve encountered
 Q&A
 This is a Community Session, feel free to share and interact!

5. 5
Upgrade Order
1. Platform Services Controller
2. vCenter Server
3. vSphere Replication
4. Site Recovery Manager
5. ESXi Hosts

6. 6
PSC & vCenter Server
“Platform Services Controller (PSC) is a component of the VMware Cloud
Infrastructure Suite. PSC deals with identity management for administrators
and applications that interact with the vSphere platform”
Platform Services controller provides the following services:
 VMware Appliance Management Service – Appliance Only
 VMware License Service
 VMware Component Manager
 VMware Identity Management Service
 VMware HTTP Reverse Proxy
 VMware Service Control Agent
 VMware Security Token Service
 VMware Common Logging Service
 VMware Syslog Health Service
 VMware Authentication Framework
 VMware Certificate Service
 VMware Directory Service

7. 7
Platform Services Controller Continued
 Placement of the PSC is important!
 Embedded works well for small environments
 PSC can be migrated the following ways (vSphere 6.0 U1):
• Internal to External
• External to External within a site
• External to External across sites
 You CANNOT migrate from an external PSC to an embedded PSC

8. 8
vCenter Server Upgrade
Windows vCenter
 Connect the vCenter 6 ISO
 2 Options:
• Simple Install
• Install each component manually
 Simple – all features on the
same box
 Use manual to break up
features to different servers
vCenter Server Appliance
 VCSA 5.1 U3 or VCSA 5.5+
 Client Integration Plug In
 Launch the Installer
 Point to the existing vCSA
 Enter appliance size, datastore, and
network information
 Finish wizard and verify completion in
the console session

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Migrate to vCSA you will!

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vCSA Migration Tool

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vCSA Migration Tool Caveats
 Migration from vSphere 5.5 to 6 only at this time
 Custom edition of vSphere for upgrading using the tool: vSphere 6.0 U2m
 You will have to provide a new vCenter Server Display/Inventory name, but you
can reclaim the original name after the migration process has completed.
 Databases will be migrated to the internal vPostgress Database
 The process can be automated
 Linked Mode needs to be broken
 Migration is on a 1:1 basis

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vSphere Replication & Site Recovery Manager
vSphere Replication
• Must be upgraded before SRM
• Attach the ISO to the appliance
• Connect to the VAMI interface via
web browser
• Verify “Use CDROM Updates”
• Scan for updates, Install, Reboot
• Clear Browser Cache – Log back in
• Configure the connection to Lookup
Services & SSO
• Save and Restart services
Site Recovery Manager
• Upgrade the protected site first
• Download the .exe from VMware
• Follow the Install Wizard
• Enter PSC & SSO info
• Verify vCenter & vCenter Extension
info
• Verify SRM Database info
• Verify remote vCenter IP
• Log out of the web client, clear
cache, and log back in to view
upgraded SRM plugin

13. 13
VUM & ESXi Host Upgrading
Update Manager
 Now available in the Web Client
• Plugin will appear after upgrade to VUM
6.0
 Package available on the vCenter
ISO
 Take sizing into consideration if
deploying Update Manager
Download Service
Host Upgrade
 Same as before!
• Download updates
• Scan hosts
• Remediate
 ESXi 5.5 U3 needs to be upgraded
to 6.0 ASAP
• 5.5 U2 can be managed by vCenter 6.0

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Other VMware Components
• vRealize Automation, Config Manager, Business Manager
• vCloud Director, Networking & Security
• NSX Manager & Controllers
• View Composer & Connection Server

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Other Components Continued

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Bugs Encountered
• vSphere Replication from 5.8 failed
• Per VMware support, upgrading to 6.0/6.1 is “very buggy”
• Embedded database fails to upgrade – New parameters in the 6.0+ DB
• FIX: Rebuild vSphere Replication & Site Recovery Manager environment
• Hosts Disappear from the Web Client Hosts & Clusters View
• Hosts vanish after refreshing web client or trying to view host information
• Performance / services are not affected
• FIX: Stop Web Services, Clear the Serenity Database
• C:ProgramdatavmwarevCenterServerdatavSphere Web ClientSerentiyDBSerentiy
• Unable to load OVF Templates via the Web Client After Upgrade
• “Unable to verify that the OVF can be uploaded” & “Unable to connect to the host”
• Issue unknown by VMware Support
• FIX: Disable IPv6 on the Host?
• FIX: Rebuild vCenter

17. 17
Tips & Recommendations
• Release notes are your friend!
• Leave yourself an out
• Snapshots are also your friend
• However, do not forget to delete your friendly snapshot afterwards
• Prepare for the upgrade:
• Have a check list laid out of each component in the order you need to upgrade
• Stage the update files
• Passwords, IPs, Database locations, etc…

18. 18
Shameless Promotion – Virtual Design Master!
Virtualdesignmaster.io
@vDMChallenge #VirtualDesignMaster
International, community based design competition
offering learning, networking, cash and prizes!

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Resources and Links
My Blog: ExploreVM.com
Slide Deck: http://www.slideshare.net/PaulWoodwardJr/20160720-indy-vmug-
usercon-vsphere-6-upgrade
VMware Hands On Labs: http://labs.hol.vmware.com
Update Sequence for vSphere 6: http://vexpert.me/KB2109760
Upgrading to 6.0 Best Practices: http://vexpert.me/KB2109772
vSphere DB Upgrade KB: http://vexpert.me/VR
vSphere PSC FAQ: http://vexpert.me/KB2113115
William Lam’s vCSA GitHub: http://vexpert.me/vcsa

20. © 2010 VMware Inc. All rights reserved
Thank You!
Any questions?