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Upgrading to vCenter Server 8.0

Upgrading to vCenter Server 8.0

You can upgrade your VMware vCenter Server® to version 8.0 or later instances.

Before you begin

The time to complete the upgrade is unknown. It is possible that it might take several maintenance windows to completely upgrade an environment. Running up-leveled and down-leveled versions of the SDDC software is supported by VMware® during the upgrade process. However, some functions such as vMotion, maybe limited during this process.

Complete the following requirements before you begin the upgrade:

  • Open a support ticket with the IBM Cloud® for VMware Solutions team to notify them that an upgrade is being planned. The ticket remains open until the instance is registered at the upgraded level in the IBM Cloud for VMware Solutions console.
  • Verify that the vCenter Server root user ID along with its credentials are visible on the console. If your vCenter Server instance was initially ordered in a VMware Solutions version between V2.5 and V5.7, only the customerroot account is visible on the console. For new instances, clusters, hosts, and vCenter Server VMs ordered in VMware Solutions V5.7 and later, the customerroot user is no longer created by the VMware Solutions automation.
  • If you encounter a problem during the upgrade process, use the IBM Cloud for VMware Solutions upgrade ticket that you opened at the beginning of the process to contact IBM Support. IBM Support then opens tickets with VMware Support if required.
  • You must follow the support process to ensure that IBM Cloud for VMware Solutions provides VMware Support with all the information about the vCenter Server design and setup, and the IBM Cloud® information.
  • By following the support process, you ensure that accurate information is shared with VMware Support, which shortens the support experience. After IBM Support provides the necessary information to VMware Support, you can interact with VMware Support directly.
  • Ensure that you keep a record of all the new passwords and credentials that you create as part of the upgrade process. IBM Support requires these credentials at the end of the upgrade process to update their internal database.

Procedure to upgrade vCenter Server to v8.0

  1. Set the cluster Distributed Resource Schedule to manual. You must set the cluster Distributed Resource Schedule (DRS) to manual to prevent unexpected migrations during the upgrade process.

    Complete the following steps from the vCenter Server user interface.

    1. Select Host and Clusters > Cluster > Configure > DRS.
    2. Click EDIT.
    3. Set the DRS field to Manual.

  2. Create a standard switch for the new vCenter Server Appliance. Temporarily install the new vCenter Server Appliance that you deploy onto a VMware vSphere® Standard Switch. One of the existing vmnics is reassigned from the distributed switch during the upgrade.

    Complete the following steps from the vCenter Server user interface.

    1. Select Hosts and Clusters > HOST > Configure > Virtual Switches. Select a host for the new vCenter Server Appliance.
    2. For the private network switch, select Managed Physical Adapters. The private network switch name ends with -private.
    3. Select uplink1/vmnic2, then click the Close icon Close icon to delete the adapter. Click OK.
    4. Return to the Virtual Switches and click Add Networking.
      1. Select Virtual Machine Port Group for a standard switch and click Next.
      2. For New Standard Switch, set the MTU to 9000 and click Next.
      3. Click the green Add icon Add icon to add an adapter. Click OK, then Next to accept vmnic2.
      4. For Connection Settings, keep the VM Network and VLAN ID None defaults. Click Next, then Finish. Standard Switch: vSwitch0 is displayed in the list of switches.
    5. Make a note of the Network Setting for the vCenter Server Appliance VM. You must update the new vCenter appliance to match.
      • From the vCenter Server user interface, click the VM for the vCenter appliance. Note the name that ends with vc.
      • From the middle pane, click the Networks tab. Note the name of the distributed port group, ending with -dpg-mgmt.

  3. Upgrade vCenter Server. Follow the VMware instructions for upgrading vCenter Server. For more information, see Upgrade a vCenter Server Appliance 6.7 with an Embedded Platform Services Controller or 7.0 by Using the GUI.

    Ensure to complete the following requirements during the upgrade:

    • Mount the VMware-VCSA ISO, go to the visa-ui-installer\win32 directory, and run the installer.
    • In the vCenter Server 8.0 installer dialog, select the Upgrade flow and complete the steps in the installer.
    • You must use the IP and credentials (administrator and root) for the current vCenter Server appliance. Use the IP and root password for the ESXi host of the current vCenter Server Appliance and the host where you want to deploy the new 8.0 vCenter Server Appliance. You must use a new temporary IP address, gateway, and subnet mask for the new vCenter Server Appliance during installation.
    • Complete Stage 2 when prompted. Ensure to note any warnings and take the appropriate actions.

    After you upgrade to version 8, in the VMware vCenter Server Appliance, the details panel for the vCenter object takes several minutes to load. This problem is resolved if you enable the vCenter Server Appliance’s connection to the VMware update repository.

  4. Update vCenter Server and ESXi host licenses. After you upgrade the vCenter Server to v8.0, you must update the licenses on the vCenter Server. If you have a vSAN™ cluster, you must update the vSAN license. Contact IBM Support to obtain the new licenses.

    • Procedure to update the vCenter Server license

      Complete the following steps from the vCenter Server user interface.

      1. Select the Administration menu > Licensing > Licenses.
      2. From the Licenses page, click + Add New Licenses.
      3. Enter the new vCenter Server 8.0 license key in the New Licenses field. Then, enter a name for the license and click OK.
      4. From the Assets page, select the vCenter instance under VCENTER SERVER SYSTEMS and click Assign License. Then, select the new license and click OK.
      5. From the Licenses page, find the license with the product name VMware vCenter Server 6 Standard and click Remove Licenses.

    • Procedure to update the vSAN cluster license

      1. From the Licenses page, click + Add New Licenses.
      2. Enter the new vSAN license keys in the New Licenses field. If you have multiple vSAN license keys, enter all the licenses in the New Licenses field, specify a name for each license, and then click OK.
      3. Complete the following steps from the Assets page.
        1. Select VSAN CLUSTERS.
        2. Select the vSAN cluster and click Assign License.
        3. Select one of the new vSAN license keys and click OK.
        4. Repeat this step for each vSAN cluster.
      4. From the Licenses page, select all the old vSAN cluster licenses and click Remove Licenses.

  5. Remove the temporary standard switch. Reassign the vmnic that you temporarily used on the standard switch back to the distributed switch it was originally associated with.

    Complete the following steps from the vCenter Server user interface.

    1. Go to the new vCenter Server appliance.
    2. Under Actions click Edit Settings.
    3. For network adapter 1, browse to the name of the distributed port group that ends with -dpg-mgmt that you previously noted. Save the changes.
    4. Go to the host where you deployed the new appliance. Select Hosts and Clusters > HOST > Configure > Virtual Switches. Then, click MANAGE PHYSICAL ADAPTERS for vSwitch0.
    5. Select vmnic2 and click the red X to delete the adapter. Click OK. The There are no active physical network adapters for the switch. warning is displayed. Click OK.
    6. Click the ... in the vSwitch0 display and then select Remove. Click OK to confirm you want to remove the switch.
    7. In the same display, select the private switch and click MANAGE PHYSICAL ADAPTERS.
    8. Select uplink1 and click +. vmnic2 is displayed.
    9. Click OK, and then OK again to exit the window.