Dell EMCConverged Systems Upgrade Guidefrom VMware vSphere 5.5 to VMware vSphere 6.0

Document revision 1.9

April 2017

Revision history

Date Document Revision Description of changes

April 2017 1.9 Updated the upgrade procedures so that youupgrade VMware vCenter before upgrading theCisco Nexus 1000V Switch.

November 2016 1.8 Added support for upgrading Vblock System100 from VMware vSphere 5.5 to 6.0.

July 2016 1.7 Added support for upgrading Vblock System200 from VMware vSphere 5.5 to 6.0.

June 2016 1.6 Updated with the following best practice:

When upgrading the VNXe software used formanagement, check the lockdown status on allmanagement ESXi servers. If the lockdownstatus is enabled, disable it before upgradingand enable it after upgrading.

May 2016 1.5 Added support for upgrading Vblock System240 from VMware vSphere 5.5 to 6.0.

November 2015 1.4 Included support for upgrading VxBlock andVblock Systems 340 with the Cisco Nexus1000V Switch.

October 2015 1.3 Included support for upgrading Vblock System320, VxBlock and Vblock Systems 540, VblockSystem 720, VxBlock and Vblock Systems 740with the Cisco Nexus 1000V Switch.

September 2015 1.2 • Updated document to include VxBlockSystem

• Included support for upgrading VxBlockSystem with VMware VDS

July 2015 1.1 Added information to "Taking a snapshot of allVMware vSphere Management VMs" section tomake the instructions more accurate.

June 2015 1.0 Initial version

Revision history | 2

Contents

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................5

When to use this guide...............................................................................................................................6

Upgrade prerequisites................................................................................................................................7Hardware, software, and license requirements...................................................................................... 7Upgrade best practices.......................................................................................................................... 7Required skills........................................................................................................................................ 8

Pre-upgrade tasks.....................................................................................................................................10Downloading VMware vSphere files for upgrade................................................................................. 10Backing up the system and hosts.........................................................................................................11Upgrading components to the minimum required versions.................................................................. 11Preparing for the VMware vCenter Server upgrade............................................................................. 11Estimating upgrade time.......................................................................................................................12

Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0..........................................................................................................14Upgrade recommendations.................................................................................................................. 14Task 1: Upgrading the AMP-2RP components.................................................................................... 14

Pausing VMware vSphere AMP VM replication activity.................................................................14Taking a snapshot of VMware vCenter Server Appliance and VMware vSphere ReplicationAppliance....................................................................................................................................... 15Upgrading the VMware vCenter Server Appliance........................................................................ 15Upgrading the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance................................................................ 16Removing snapshots of VMware vCenter Server Appliance and VMware vSphereReplication Appliance.................................................................................................................... 17Resuming VMware vSphere AMP VM replication activity..............................................................17

Task 2: Upgrading the AMP components.............................................................................................18Taking a snapshot of all VMware vSphere Management VMs...................................................... 18Upgrading the VMware Single Sign-On VM...................................................................................19Upgrading the VMware vCenter Server VM...................................................................................19Upgrading the VMware vSphere Update Manager Server VM......................................................21Installing the VUM Client plug-in on VMware vCenter Server VM.................................................22Upgrading the Element Manager components.............................................................................. 22

Upgrading the VMware vSphere Distributed Switch............................................................................ 23Upgrading the Cisco Nexus 1000V switch - VSM................................................................................ 23Upgrading the Compute VMware vSphere ESXi hosts........................................................................ 23Upgrading AMP Management VMware vSphere ESXi hosts...............................................................24Upgrading AMP Management virtual machine VMware tools and virtual hardware version................26

Post-upgrade tasks...................................................................................................................................27Verifying the host connections to the Cisco Nexus 1000V Distributed Switch..................................... 27Verifying compliance with the RCM......................................................................................................27Reviewing VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi advanced settings................................................................. 27Reviewing system security................................................................................................................... 27Disabling IPv6 on VMware ESXi hosts.................................................................................................28

3 | Contents

Verifying VMware vCenter Server........................................................................................................ 28Removing snapshots of VMware vSphere Management VMs............................................................. 29Uninstalling VMware ESXi Syslog and Dump Collectors..................................................................... 29Evaluating new features and platform design updates.........................................................................29

Contents | 4

IntroductionThis document describes the best practices and upgrade sequence for upgrading Converged Systems tothe current release that includes VMware vSphere 6.0.

This upgrade procedure is for Converged Systems that include the VMware vSphere Distributed Switchor Cisco Nexus 1000V Switch.

The target audience for this document includes build teams, deployment and installation personnel, salesengineers, field consultants, and advanced services specialists.

Use these instructions to upgrade the following Converged Systems:

• Vblock System 100

• Vblock System 200

• Vblock System 240

• Vblock System 320

• VxBlock and Vblock Systems 340

• VxBlock and Vblock Systems 540

• Vblock System 720

• VxBlock and Vblock Systems 740

This document also provides prerequisites and strategies to minimize system downtime.

In this document, the term AMP refers to both AMP and AMP-2.

The Glossary provides terms, definitions, and acronyms.

5 | Introduction

When to use this guideUse this guide to incrementally upgrade from VMware vSphere 5.5 to VMware vSphere 6.0.

From this RCM release... To this RCM release... On these Converged Systems...

5.0.x 6.0.x Vblock System 320

VxBlock and Vblock Systems 340

VxBlock and Vblock Systems 540

Vblock System 720

VxBlock and Vblock Systems 740

4.8.x 6.0.x Vblock System 320

Vblock System 340

Vblock System 720

4.5.x 6.0.x Vblock System 100

Vblock System 200

Vblock System 240

Vblock System 320

Vblock System 340

Vblock System 720

When to use this guide | 6

Part I - Upgrade prerequisites

Hardware, software, and license requirementsThis topic contains information on hardware, software, and license requirements for upgrading to VMwarevSphere 6.0.

Before upgrading a Converged System to VMware vSphere 6.0:

• Verify that the firmware version of the Cisco UCS B and C-Series servers in your ConvergedSystem is compatible with VMware vSphere 6.0. Refer to the Converged System ReleaseCertification Matrix and the Converged System Release Notes for the release to which you areupgrading for more information.

• If your Converged System is running a mini-AMP or high-availability AMP, add memory toaccommodate the increased hardware requirements of VMware vSphere 6.0 management virtualmachines. The minimum memory requirement is 128 GB.

• Ensure that you review and comply with the license requirements as specified in the ConvergedSystem Release Notes for the release of software on your Converged System. For informationabout upgrading to other releases on other platforms, see the Converged Systems UpgradeRoadmap.

• Verify that VMware vCenter Server meets the VMware vCenter Server hardware requirements,including the additional required disk storage and memory. Refer to the System Requirementssection of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

• Verify that all components are in a ready state and free from errors and alarms.

• If upgrading the VMware vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA), a temporary IP address is required.The IP address must be on the same subnet as and accessible by the current vCSA.

• Verify that Vision Intelligent Operations is at version 2.6.5 or higher. If you need to upgrade, seethe appropriate Vision Intelligent Operations Upgrade Guide.

• Cisco Nexus 1000V minimum version should be 5.2(1)SV3(1.4) before upgrading to VMwarevSphere 6.0. Refer to the Cisco Nexus 1000V Installation and Upgrade Guide for moreinformation.

Upgrade best practicesThe following guidelines ensure minimum impact on the production traffic.

Use the following guidelines as you prepare for the upgrade:

• Plan and prepare for the VMware vSphere 6.0 upgrade to ensure minimum impact on productiontraffic.

• Review this entire upgrade document and each referenced document before you begin theupgrade.

7 | Part I - Upgrade prerequisites

• Follow your company’s best practices for performing upgrades. If possible, perform the upgradeduring scheduled maintenance windows.

• Schedule adequate downtime for system maintenance. Downtime applies to all virtualinfrastructure hosts and servers, including the virtual machines (VMs) that are running in theenvironment. Power down the VMs before upgrading to the latest virtual hardware version. Youmay need to restart the VMs after completing the VMware Tools upgrade.

• For components in a cluster configuration, upgrade and verify the subordinate component beforeyou upgrade the primary component. After you successfully upgrade the subordinate and primarycomponents, verify the status of the components again to ensure that there are no new alarms.

• Do not change the system configuration during the upgrade.

• Check that network time protocol (NTP) is properly configured and functioning on all upgrade-related components or services. Ensure that clocks (time, time zone, and dates) on all hosts andthat AMP VMs are synchronized before beginning the upgrade.

• Verify that Domain Name Service (DNS) (including type A and PTR records) and any local hostsfiles are properly configured for all upgrade-related components or services.

• Verify that the domain user account has the following permissions if the operating system isjoined to the active directory domain:

— Is a member of the Administrators group

— Acts as part of the operating system

— Logs on as a service

• Verify that the Network Service account has read permission on the folder in which VMwarevCenter Server is installed and on the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) registry.

• Verify that the connection between the host machine and the domain controller is working.

• When upgrading the VNXe software used for management, check the lockdown status on allmanagement ESXi servers. If the lockdown status is enabled, disable it before upgrading andenable it after upgrading.

Related information

Estimating upgrade time (see page 12)

Required skillsTo perform the upgrade, you should have the following knowledge and technical skills:

• Microsoft Windows administration as required by the system architecture

• Virtual machine technology and data center operations

• Converged Systems concepts and terminology

• Converged Systems troubleshooting skills

Part I - Upgrade prerequisites | 8

If there is a question of abilities and skills, engage Professional Services to perform the upgrade.

In addition to these skills, you must:

• Have a computer with network access to the Converged Systems and the management systems.

• Understand the entire upgrade process before you upgrade the Converged Systems.

9 | Part I - Upgrade prerequisites

Part II - Pre-upgrade tasks

Downloading VMware vSphere files for upgradeThis procedure explains how to download the files needed to upgrade to VMware vSphere 6.0. Each itemis listed in the Converged System Release 6.0 Certification Matrix.

Downloading the VMware vSphere 6.0 software

To download the files on a Vblock System, use VMware vCenter Web Client, which is explained in thefollowing procedure.

To download the files on a VxBlock System, use the Download Center.

• VMware VIMSetup ISO

• VMware vCenter Server Appliance OVA

• VMware vSphere Replication ISO image

• Dell EMC Custom ESXi 6.0 ISO

For AMP Management ESXi hosts only, ensure the image does not contain PowerPathmodules.

Before you begin

To download the VMware and Converged System software on a Vblock System, you need the following:

• For the VMware vSphere Web Client: Username and password

• For Vision Intelligent Operations: Vision Intelligent Operations software provides role-basedaccess control (RBAC) for the Inventory Manager, which facilitates the download process. Theuser downloading the VMware and Converged System software must be mapped to the role thatallows full access to the Vision Intelligent Operations Inventory Manager.

Procedure

1 Log on to the VMware vSphere Web Client.

2 On the Home page select Inventories, then click Vblock System. The Vblock System homepage displays.

3 In the Vblock System navigation pane on the left, click Vblock System. If there is more than oneVblock System, select the appropriate one. The Objects tab displays.

4 Click the Actions menu and select Help. The Vision Intelligent Operations Plug-in for VMwarevCenter Online Help opens.

5 In the navigation pane on the left, click Downloading RCM Content.

Part II - Pre-upgrade tasks | 10

6 Follow the instructions to download the following files:

• VMware VIMSetup ISO

• VMware vCenter Server Appliance OVA

• VMware vSphere Replication ISO image

• Dell EMC Custom ESXi 6.0 ISO

For AMP Management ESXi hosts only, ensure the image does not containPowerPath modules.

Backing up the systems and hostsThis procedure explains the order in which you should back up systems and hosts.

Use this procedure to back up Converged Systems and hosts:

1 Back up the Converged System configuration and hosts. See the appropriate AdministrationGuide for instructions. Follow your organization's backup procedures.

2 Back up the VMware vCenter Server database on the AMP.

3 Back up the VMware vCenter Server certificates on the AMP. For Windows, make a copy of theSSL folder. The default path is C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\ .

4 Back up the VMware vCenter Inventory Service database on the AMP. See the Back Up theInventory Service Database on Windows section in the VMware vSphere Installation and SetupDocumentation.

5 Perform a visual inspection of all hardware components to verify that there are no visible faultsindicated by amber lights. All components should be in ready state and free from errors andalarms.

Upgrading components to the minimum required versionsUpgrade all Converged System components, except the VMware components, to the required versions inthe Converged System Release 6.0.x RCM to which you are upgrading.

Refer to the Converged SystemsSoftware and Firmware Upgrade Guide for your Converged System forinformation about the process and order of upgrading these components.

Preparing for the VMware vCenter Server upgradeTo prepare for the VMware vCenter server upgrade, ensure that customer-specific configurationrequirements are addressed.

Review the following sections in the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation:

• Upgrade Requirements and Before Upgrading vCenter Server

11 | Part II - Pre-upgrade tasks

• Prepare ESXi Hosts for vCenter Server Upgrade and the Verify Preparations are Complete forUpgrading vCenter Server

Estimating upgrade timeReview the following considerations to ensure that you provide adequate scheduled maintenancewindows to complete the upgrade.

Use the following table to calculate the time to upgrade the software and firmware on each component. Ifthe Converged System that you are upgrading does not have a specific component in the table, skip thatcomponent.

• For cluster configurations, include both the primary and the subordinate components in thecalculated time for the component.

• Plan your upgrade maintenance windows according to your environment. Do not upgrade allhosts at the same time. Retain an adequate number of hosts in a connected state to reduceimpact to production traffic.

• For each upgrade task, record the total estimated upgrade time in the Your calculated timecolumn of the following table.

• The estimates do not include the time for preparation, configuration, backup, anddownload.

Order Component Minimumupgradetime (minutes)

Restartrequired?

Yourcalculatedtime

1. VMware vCenter Server Appliance

(AMP-2RP only)

60 Yes

2. VMware vSphere Replication Appliance(AMP-2RP only)

60 Yes

3. VMware vSphere vCenter Server withembedded or external Platform ServicesController

Includes: VMware vCenter Single Sign-OnServer, VMware vCenter Server, VMwarevSphere Web Client, VMware vCenterInventory Service, VMware vCenter ESXiDump Collector, VMware vCenter SyslogCollector

60 No

4. VMware vSphere Client 10 No

5. VMware Web Client Integration Plug-In 5 No

6. VMware vSphere Update Manager Server 30 No

7. VMware vSphere Update Manager ClientPlug-in

5 No

8. Element Manager 10 Yes

9. VMware vSphere Distributed Switch(optional)

60 No

Part II - Pre-upgrade tasks | 12

Order Component Minimumupgradetime (minutes)

Restartrequired?

Yourcalculatedtime

10. Cisco Nexus 1000V switch (optional) 60 No

11 VMware ESXi hosts 35 per host Yes

12. Virtual Machines hardware version andVMware Tools

10 Yes

Time estimates are based on test environments. Your estimated times may differ depending onapplications running on your Converged System.

13 | Part II - Pre-upgrade tasks

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

Upgrade recommendationsUse the following guidelines when performing the upgrade.

Some Converged System components are optional or specific to a customer environment. If theConverged System that you are upgrading does not have a specific component, skip that component.When the component is in a cluster configuration, upgrade the subordinate component before youupgrade the primary component.

Upgrade the AMP before upgrading the Converged System. You can upgrade the AMP in a separatemaintenance window.

Make sure your Converged System is upgraded according to the Release Certification Matrix. Refer toUpgrading Converged System components to the minimum versions.

Related information

Upgrading components to the minimum required versions (see page 11)

Task 1: Upgrading the AMP-2RP componentsUpgrading AMP-2RP components is explained in the following sections.

This task applies to AMP-2RP only. If you do not have AMP-2RP, skip this section andrefer to Task 2: Upgrading the AMP components.

Upgrade AMP-2RP components in the following order, as explained in the following sections:

1 Pausing VMware vSphere AMP VM Replication activity

2 Taking a snapshot of VMware vCenter Server Appliance and VMware vSphere ReplicationAppliance

3 Upgrading the VMware vCenter Server Appliance

4 Upgrading the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance

5 Removing the snapshots of VMware vSphere Replication Appliance and VMware vCenter ServerAppliance

6 Resuming VMware vSphere AMP VM Replication activity

Pausing VMware vSphere AMP VM replication activity

Before upgrading AMP-2RP components, pause the VMware vSphere AMP VM replication activity.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 14

Use the following steps to pause VMware vSphere AMP VM replication activity:

1 Log on to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance using the VMware vSphere Web Client andclick Home.

2 Select vSphere Replication on the left pane.

3 Ensure the Home tab is selected and select the vCSA instance.

4 Select the Monitor tab.

5 Select Incoming Replications.

6 Right-click on a management VM and click Pause. Repeat this step for each management VM.

7 Terminate the replication for the VMware vCenter Server Appliance VM. Right-click the VMwarevCenter Server Appliance and click Stop.

Taking a snapshot of VMware vCenter Server Appliance and vSphereReplication Appliance

Take a snapshot of the VMware vCenter Server Appliance and vSphere Replication Appliance.

Use the following steps to take a snapshot of the VMware vCenter Server Appliance and vSphereReplication Appliance:

1 From the vSphere Web Client click Home > Hosts and Clusters.

2 Right-click the VMware vCenter Server Appliance VM and select Take Snapshot.

3 Enter an appropriate name and description and click OK.

4 Repeat these steps for the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance VM.

Upgrading the VMware vCenter Server Appliance

Use this procedure to upgrade to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance.

Postpone the upgrade of the VMware vCenter Server Appliance to hardware version11. If you update the vCenter Server Appliance to hardware version 11, you cannotconnect to the appliance using the VMware vSphere Client. Complete the following tasksusing version 10.

Perform this upgrade only if the VMware vCenter Server Appliance FQDN can be resolvedusing DNS.

To upgrade to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance, use the following procedure:

1 Verify all prerequisites are performed as indicated in the Before Upgrading vCenter Server topicof the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

2 Identify the IP address on same subnet as the existing vCSA virtual machine for temporaryassignment during the upgrade process.

15 | Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

3 Review the Upgrading and Patching the vCenter Server Appliance section in the VMwarevSphere Upgrade documentation.

4 Perform the tasks outlined in the Upgrading the vCenter Server Appliance topic of the VMwarevSphere Upgrade documentation.

5 Enter the data as requested, accept the default settings, and use the following configurationinformation during the upgrade process as appropriate:

Wizard setting Selection

Migrate performance & other Yes

Appliance size Tiny

Enable Thin Disk Mode Yes

6 Disable IPv6, enable SSH (per client security policy), and reboot the host after the upgrade iscomplete.

7 Log on to the VMware vSphere Web Client to validate that the vCenter Server Appliance isoperational. For example:

https://<FQDN or IP>/vsphere-client

Upgrading the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance

Perform the following steps to upgrade the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance.

Before you initiate an upgrade, verify that the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance has anOVF environment or context. Refer to Checking and Restoring the OVF Context of thevSphere Replication Appliance (2106709).

Do not select the Update > Settings option in the VAMI to automatically update vSphereReplication. If you select automatic updates, VAMI updates VMware vSphere Replication tothe latest version. Leave the update setting set to No automatic updates.

1 Review VMware vSphere Replication 6.0 Release Notes for known issues and workaroundsbefore continuing with the upgrade.

2 Verify all prerequisites are performed as indicated in the Upgrading vSphere Replication sectionof the VMware vSphere Replication Administration documentation.

3 Refer to the Upgrade vSphere Replication by Using the Downloadable ISO Image section of the VMware vSphere Replication Administration documentation for the upgrade procedure.

4 After the upgrade is complete, log on to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance using the VMwarevSphere Web Client and verify that the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance can authenticatewith the VMware vCenter Server Appliance.

You may need to restart the VMware vSphere Web Client service in the VMwarevCenter Server virtual management interface (VAMI) for the replication actions toappear in the VMware vCenter Server Appliance.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 16

Removing snapshots of VMware vCenter Server Appliance andVMware vSphere Replication Appliance

Remove snapshots of the VMware vCenter Server Appliance and vSphere Replication Appliance.

Use the following steps to remove snapshots of the VMware vCenter Server Appliance and vSphereReplication Appliance:

1 From the vSphere Web Client click Home > Hosts and Clusters.

2 Right-click on the VMware vCenter Server Appliance VM and select Manage Snapshots.

3 Select the snapshot to remove and click Delete.

4 Repeat these steps for the VMware vSphere Replication Appliance VM.

Resuming VMware vSphere AMP VM replication activity

To resume VMware vSphere AMP VM Replication activity, use the following procedure.

Use the following steps to resume VMware vSphere AMP VM Replication activity.

1 Log on to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance using VMware vSphere Web Client and clickHome.

2 Select vSphere Replication on the left pane.

3 Ensure the Home tab is selected and select the vCSA instance.

4 Select the Monitor tab.

5 Click vSphere Replication.

6 Click Incoming Replications.

7 Right-click all VMs and select Resume.

8 Verify replication for all VMs resumes successfully.

9 Configure replication for the upgraded vCenter Server Appliance VM.

a Navigate to Hosts and Clusters and expand the ESXi host VM list.

b Right-click on vCenter Server Appliance VM, select All vSphere Replication Actions. ClickConfigure Replication.

c On the Target Site screen, select the vCSA vCenter instance. Click Next.

d On the Replication Server screen, choose the Select vSphere Replication server optionand select the vSRA instance. Click Next.

e On the Target Location screen, select the datastore on the secondary AMP-2RP ESXi host.Click Next.

17 | Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

f On the Replication options screen select None under the Guest OS Quiescing menu. ClickNext.

g On the Recovery settings screen:

• Move the slider to 15 min RPO.

• Accept the default setting (Disabled) for Point in time instances.

h Click Next.

i On the Ready to complete screen, verify the configuration, and click Finish.

10 Remove the old VMware vCenter Server Appliance that has been shut down. Right-click the oldVMware vCenter Server Appliance, select All vCenter Actions, and select Remove fromInventory or Delete from Disk.

Task 2: Upgrading the AMP componentsUpgrading the AMP components is explained in the following sections.

This task applies to the AMP only. If you have AMP-2RP, refer to Task 1: Upgrading theAMP-2RP components.

Upgrade the Converged System AMP components in the following order:

1 Taking a snapshot of all VMware vSphere Management VMs

2 Upgrading the VMware Single Sign-On VM

3 Upgrading the VMware vCenter Server VM

4 Upgrading the VMware vSphere Update Manager Server VM

5 Installing the VUM Client Plug-in on VMware vCenter Server VM

6 Upgrading the Element Manager components

Taking a snapshot of all VMware vSphere Management VMs

Take a snapshot of VMware vSphere Management VMs (vCenter, SSO, Database, and VUM).

Use the following steps to take a snapshot of VMware vSphere Management VMs.

For this method of recovery to work, you must power down the vCenter, SSO and Database,and VUM virtual machines prior to initiating the snapshot. If you are unable to power down theVMs, skip this section.

If the AMP is AMP-2RP, pause replication for the VMs during the upgrade process.

1 Check the datastore disk usage to verify that enough disk space is available to create snapshots.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 18

2 Right-click the Management VM and select Power > Shutdown Guest > Yes. After the VM ispowered down, right-click again and select Snapshot > Take Snapshot. Enter an appropriatename and description and click OK.

3 Repeat these steps for each Management VM.

4 Refer to the Converged Systems Powering On and Off Guide to power back on the managementVMs after taking the snapshots.

Upgrading the VMware Single Sign-On VM

The standalone Single Sign-On Server must be upgraded to an external Platform Services Controller(PSC) prior to VMware vCenter Server being upgraded.

Upgrade using the option Upgrade vCenter Server for Windows to transform the standalone SSO to anexternal PSC. The wizard automatically detects whether the SSO service is external or embedded withVMware vCenter Server.

If VMware vSphere 5.5 SSO service is running on the VMware vCenter VM, skip this task.

1 On the Single Sign-On VM, follow the Upgrade vCenter Server for Windows; Upgrade vCenterServer 5.5 for Windows procedure in the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation to upgradethe SSO server to PSC.

2 Type the configuration information listed in the following table during the installation process asappropriate:

Wizard page Selection

Configure Ports Leave as default.

Destination Directory – ‘Store data …’ D:\ProgramData\VMware

Destination Directory – ‘Export …’ D:\ProgramData\VMware\vCenterServer\export

3 Log on to the VMware vSphere Web Client to validate that the vCenter Server 5.5 is stillfunctioning after the SSO has been upgraded to PSC.

4 Delete the remaining data in the following folder that was generated during the upgrade:

D:\ProgramData\VMware\vCenterServer\export

Upgrading the VMware vCenter Server VM

Use this procedure to upgrade the VMware vCenter Server and validate the installation.

Perform the following steps to upgrade VMware vCenter Server. If SSO and VMware vCenter Server 5.5are running on the same virtual machine, the process includes the embedded Platform ServicesController.

1 Verify that the VMware vCenter Server configuration and database were backed up.

2 Follow the Upgrade vCenter Server 5.5 for Windows sub-section in the Upgrading vCenter Serverfor Windows section of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

19 | Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

The installation process performs a pre-upgrade check on the size of the D drive. Youmay be required to increase the size of the D drive. If so, delete the snapshot createdin the prior section, perform the settings change, and create a new snapshot. Theestimated new size is 180GB. If an external PSC is in use, the estimated new size is140GB.

3 Use the configuration information listed in the following table during the installation process asappropriate:

Wizard page Selection

Configure Ports Leave as default.

Destination Directory - 'Store data ...' E:\ProgramData\VMware

Destination Directory - 'Export ...' E:\ProgramData\VMware\vCenterServer\export

4 Capture the settings on the Ready to upgrade dialog. When the upgrade is complete, select thedialog button to launch the vSphere Web Client and download/install the Client IntegrationPlugin.

5 Click Finish to exit the installer. The VMware vCenter Server for Windows upgrade is complete.

6 The "F:\SSO" drive is no longer in use after the upgrade completes. Remove the drive from theWindows disk configuration and remove the virtual machine disk (VMDK) from the virtual machineconfiguration.

If snapshots are active, postpone this task until after they are removed in a latersection.

7 Upgrade the Web Client Integration plugin. Clear the cache in your browser and then launchVMware vSphere Web Client (https:///<vcenter_IP>:9443/vsphere-client ). Click the DownloadClient Integration Plugin link.

8 Close all browsers and launch the Client Integration Plugin installer. Install the plugin in thedestination folder: D:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Client Integration Plug-in 6.0.

9 Log on to the VMware vSphere Web Client to validate that the VMware vCenter Server isoperational and perform the following setup tasks:

a Verify that all the LDAP (AD) accounts are still applied and that they were not removed duringthe upgrade. Refer to the VMware vSphere Security documentation.

b If applicable to your environment, navigate to the System Configuration option of theVMware vSphere ESXi Dump Collector service to set the startup type to Automatic and startit.

10 Follow the Upgrade the vSphere Client section of the After Upgrading vCenter Server section inthe VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation to upgrade the VMware vSphere client on theVMware vCenter VM and element manager.

Do not remove existing versions of the VMware vSphere Client.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 20

11 Use the configuration information in the following table during the installation process asappropriate:

Parameter description Value

Destination folder D:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure

Upgrading the VMware vSphere Update Manager Server VM

This procedure explains how to upgrade the VMware vSphere Update Manager.

Use the following steps to upgrade the VMware vSphere Update Manager (VUM):

1 Check the 32-bit SQL Server DSN version using ‘C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe’.

a If the DSN version is 11.0, go to Step 2.

b If the DSN version is 10.0, stop the VUM service and record the existing service name andconfiguration information.

c Change the name to a unique value, such as vum10.

d Create a new DSN entry by selecting version11.0 with the recorded name and configuration.

2 Upgrade VMware vSphere Update Manager. Use the Upgrade the Update Manager Serversection of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

3 Use the configuration information in the following table during the upgrade process asappropriate:

Wizardpage

Setting

All a Accept all default settings.

b Use the IP address on the Port Settings page.

Do not download updates as part of the upgrade process.

4 Follow the ‘Upgrade the vSphere Client’ topic of the After Upgrading vCenter Server section the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation. Use the configuration information in the following tableduring the upgrade process as appropriate:

Wizard page Setting

Destination D:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\...

Do not remove existing versions of the VMware vSphere Client.

Update the VMware Update Manager Service to use .\administrator for the LogonAs account. (From Administrative Tools, launch Services and select VMwarevSphere Update Manager Service. Right click and select Properties. From theLog On tab, select This Account. After entering credentials, click Apply. Rightclick on the service and select Restart.)

5 Install the VMware vSphere Update Manager plug-in.

21 | Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

The ESXi Dump Collector 5.5 will be present until all ESXi hosts have had their netdump configurationupdated to reference the new location on the vCenter Server and the Dump Collector application isuninstalled.

The Storage and Monitoring application plug-in remnant from VMware vSphere 5.5 and the Auto Deployplug-in reports are disabled.

Installing the VUM Client plug-in on VMware vCenter Server VM

Install the VMware Update Manager Client plug-in on the VMware vCenter Server VMs.

Use the following steps to install the VMware Update Manager Client plug-in on the VMware vCenterServer VM:

1 Log on to the VMware vCenter Server VM and launch the VMware vSphere Client.

2 Click Plug-ins and select Manage Plug-ins.

3 Click Download and install vSphere Update Manager extension.

4 Follow the default prompts.

5 Verify that the VMware vSphere Update Manager plug-in is enabled.

Upgrading the Element Manager components

This procedure explains how to upgrade the element manager components, including the vSphere client.

Use the following steps to upgrade the Element Manager components:

1 Follow the Upgrade the vSphere Client topic of the After Upgrading vCenter Server section in the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

Do not remove existing versions of the VMware vSphere Client.

2 Install the VUM Client plug-in.

3 Upgrade the Web Client Integration plugin. Clear the cache in your browser and then launchVMware vSphere Web Client ( https:///<vcenter_IP>:9443/vsphere-client ). Click the DownloadClient Integration Plugin link.

4 Close all browsers and launch the Client Integration Plugin installer. Install the plugin in thedestination folder: D:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Client Integration Plug-in 6.0.

5 Upgrade the PowerPath Virtual Edition Electronic License Management System (ELMS).PowerPath on VMware vSphere 6.0 ESXi servers requires a new ELMS, which is implementedby the PowerPath Virtual Appliance (PPVA) 2.x release.

a Follow the Deploy the PowerPath Virtual Appliance procedure in the PowerPath VirtualAppliance 2.0 Installation and Configuration Guide. Connect the PPVA to the ESXManagement network.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 22

b If the current version of PowerPath ELMS is hosted as an application on the ElementManager, query the configuration and record all associated licenses. Submit a request to tore-host those licenses on the newly deployed PPVA virtual machine. Follow the Add aPowerPath/VE license procedure in the PowerPath Virtual Appliance 2.0 Installation andConfiguration Guide to add the re-hosted licenses to the PPVA.

c If the current version of PowerPath ELMS is an earlier version of PPVA (such as 1.2), followthe procedure outlined in the section Upgrading the Virtual Appliance in the PowerPathVirtual Appliance 2.0 Installation and Configuration Guide.

d Connect to the PPVA 2.x console and confirm all hosts are properly licensed according to theconfiguration prior to the upgrade.

Upgrading the VMware vSphere Distributed SwitchUse the following procedure to upgrade the VMware vSphere Distributed Switch.

This task applies if the VMware vSphere Distributed Switch is installed. If you do not have theVMware vSphere Distributed Switch installed, skip this task.

To upgrade the VMware vSphere Distributed Switch (VDS):

1 Connect to the VMware vCenter Server using the VMware vSphere Web client.

2 Refer to the Upgrade a vSphere Distributed Switch to a Later Version procedure of the Setting UpNetworking with vSphere Distributed Switches section within the VMware vSphere Networkingdocumentation

Upgrading the Cisco Nexus 1000V switch - VSMUse the following procedure to upgrade the Cisco Nexus 1000V switch.

About this task

This task applies if the Cisco Nexus 1000V switch is installed. If you do not have the Cisco Nexus 1000Vswitch installed, skip this task.

Procedure

1 To upgrade the Cisco Nexus 1000V from release 4.2(1)SV2(2.1a) to release 5.2(1)SV3(1.2), referto the Dell EMC Upgrade Guide from Cisco Nexus 1000V Switch Release 4.2(1)SV2(2.1a) to5.2(1)SV3(1.2).

2 For all other Cisco Nexus 1000V releases, refer to the Cisco Nexus 1000V Switch Installation andUpgrade Guides.

Upgrading the Compute VMware vSphere ESXi hostsThe guidelines and instructions for upgrading the compute VMware vSphere ESXi hosts in included inthis topic.

23 | Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

Do not start the compute host ESXi upgrades unless the PowerPath 2.0 virtual appliancehas been successfully deployed and configured.

Use the instructions in the Perform an Orchestrated Upgrade of Hosts using vSphere Update Managerprocedure in the Upgrading Hosts section of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

Before upgrading the Converged System Compute VMware vSphere ESXi hosts, be aware of thefollowing considerations:

• Although VMware provides several ways to upgrade vSphere ESXi hosts, you must use VMwarevSphere Update Manager and a custom VMware vSphere ESXi ISO image to upgrade the hostsin the Converged System.

• Do not upgrade all of the hosts at the same time. Keep enough hosts online to reduce impact toproduction traffic.

• If you have VMware Distributed Power Management (DPM), HA admission control, or FaultTolerance enabled, temporarily disable these features in the Remediation Cluster Settings tomake sure that the remediation is successful.

• If the VMware vSphere Update Manager displays a warning about incompatibility, confirm theNTP client is configured. If it is not, for each host configure NTP, reboot, and rescan against thecustom ISO upgrade image. Refer to Configuring the NTP client section in the Converged SystemAdministration Guide for your Converged System.

• If the VMware vSphere Update Manager displays upgrade warnings that cannot be resolved, youmay need to upgrade the hosts interactively. Refer to the Upgrade or Migrate Hosts Interactivelysection of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

• Update the ESXi host Syslog and Dump Collector configurations as they now reside on thevCenter Server instead of the VUM.

Upgrading AMP Management VMware vSphere ESXi hostsConsider the following items before upgrading the VMware vSphere ESXi hosts.

Before upgrading the AMP Management VMware vSphere ESXi hosts, be aware of the followingconsiderations:

• Although VMware provides several ways to upgrade VMware vSphere ESXi hosts, you must useVMware vSphere Update Manager and a custom VMware vSphere ESXi ISO image to upgradethe hosts in the Converged System.

• Verify that PowerPath modules are not present. If they exist, remove them before proceeding withthe upgrade.

• If upgrading a non-HA AMP (mini-AMP, AMP with a single Cisco UCS C-Series Server, or VblockSystem 200 series with a dedicated physical AMP in which management VMs cannot bemigrated), shut down all the AMP VMs and upgrade the Cisco C-Series Server interactively. Usethe custom ISO image obtained in Pre-upgrade tasks. Refer to the Upgrade Hosts Interactivelysection of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

• If you have DPM, HA admission control, or Fault Tolerance enabled, temporarily disable thesefeatures in the Remediation Cluster Settings to make sure that the remediation is successful.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 24

• If the VMware vSphere Update Manager displays a warning about incompatibility, confirm theNTP client is configured. If it is not, for each host configure NTP, reboot, and rescan against thecustom ISO upgrade image. Refer to Configuring the NTP client section in the Converged SystemAdministration Guide .

• If the VMware vSphere Update Manager displays upgrade warnings that cannot be resolved, youmay need to upgrade the hosts interactively. Refer to the Upgrade or Migrate Hosts Interactivelysection of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

• If upgrading an HA AMP, place one of the Cisco UCS C-Series Servers in maintenance modeand upgrade the VMware ESXi host:

— Ensure that you have access to the custom ISO image obtained in the pre-upgrade tasks.

— Use VMware vSphere Update Manager to complete the upgrade to VMware vSphere 6.0.Refer to the Using the vSphere Update Manager to Perform Orchestrated Host Upgradessection of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

Perform the following steps to upgrade VMware vSphere ESXi hosts with the following AMPs:

• HA-AMP, AMP-2RP, or AMP-2HA

• Vblock System 100 or Vblock System 200 series with a logical AMP

1 Record all VMware vSphere ESXi host and datastore locations of all management AMP VMs,which may be needed for the end of the procedure.

2 Perform a vMotion on all AMP VMs from the primary management VMware vSphere ESXi host tothe secondary management ESXi host using VMware vSphere Web Client. For AMP-2RP,change both the host and the datastore. For AMP-2RP, change both the host and data store.

3 Upgrade the Management ESXi primary host. Ensure that you have access to the custom ISOimage obtained in the pre-upgrade tasks. Refer to the Using vSphere Update Manager to PerformOrchestrated Host Upgrades section of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

4 Verify the VMware ESXi host reconnects to VMware vCenter successfully.

If the VMware ESXi host does not reconnect, restart the VMware vCenter Agent toreconnect to the Management VMware vCenter which is the vCSA.

5 Perform a vMotion on all AMP VMs from the secondary management VMware ESXi host to theprimary management VMware ESXi host using VMware vSphere Web Client. For AMP-2RP,change both the host and datastore.

6 Upgrade the Management ESXi Secondary host. Ensure that you have access to the custom ISOimage obtained in the pre-upgrade tasks. Refer to the Using vSphere Update Manager to PerformOrchestrated Host Upgrades section of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation for theupgrade procedure.

7 Verify that the VMware ESXi host reconnects to VMware vCenter successfully.

If the VMware ESXi host does not reconnect, restart the VMware vCenter Agent toreconnect to the Management VMware vCenter.

25 | Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0

8 Perform a vMotion on all AMP VMs to the VMware ESXi host locations recorded in Step 1.

For an AMP-2RP configuration, the VMs must be restored to their original VMware ESXi host anddatastore locations for replications to resume.

9 Repeat this process for any other Cisco UCS C-Series Server.

Update the ESXi host Syslog and Dump Collector configurations to reference vCenter Serveras the new Collector target.

For Vblock System 100 or Vblock System 200 series, migrate production workloads as neededuntil all Cisco UCS Series Servers have been upgraded.

Related information

Downloading VMware vSphere files for upgrade (see page 10)

Upgrading AMP Management virtual machine VMware toolsand virtual hardware versionUse the following procedure to upgrade the VMware tools and virtual hardware version on the AMPManagement VM:

1 Upgrade the VM hardware to Version 11 for the Management VMs that have Microsoft WindowsServer OS (SSO, database, vCenter, VUM and Element/Fabric Manager VMs).

2 Upgrade the VMware tools for the Management VMs that have Microsoft Windows Server OS(SSO, database, vCenter, VUM and Element/Fabric Manager VMs) using the Upgrading VirtualMachines and VMware Tools section of the VMware vSphere Upgrade documentation.

VMware vSphere Replication does not support upgrading the VMware Tools packagein the vSphere Replication appliance as mentioned in the VMware vSphere Replication6.0 Release Notes.

Part III - Upgrading to VMware vSphere 6.0 | 26

Part IV - Post-upgrade tasks

Verifying the host connections to the Cisco Nexus 1000VDistributed SwitchVerify the Cisco Nexus 1000V Distributed Switch VMkernels, Uplinks, and vmnics are all connected in thevSphere 6.0 vCenter Networking Configuration.

Refer to the Cisco Nexus 1000V Installation and Upgrade Guide for more information.

Verify the hosts are connected to the Cisco Nexus 1000V Distributed Switch:

1 Log on to the Cisco Nexus 1000V.

2 Type show module.

Verifying compliance with the RCMVerify that the upgraded components match the versions listed in the RCM.

Confirm that the Converged System components match the versions of software, firmware, and hardwarelisted in the Release Certification Matrix document for your Converged System.

Refer to the appropriate Release Notes for information about installing any necessary patches orupdates.

Reviewing VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi advanced settingsVerify that the NFS settings are configured for optimal Converged System performance.

Refer to the Configuring advanced settings section of the Administration Guide for your ConvergedSystem.

The vStorage APIs for array integration (VAAI) primitives are enabled by default upon the initialinstallation of VMware vSphere ESXi. They should remain set to their current value (enabled or disabled)for all VMware ESXi hosts, except for the following conditions:

• If there is a specific customer or vendor reason for all primitives to be disabled

• If there is a recall of a primitive based upon outstanding issues in related software releases

Reviewing system securityEnsure that the Converged Systems adhere to your established security settings.

27 | Part IV - Post-upgrade tasks

The upgrade does not change security for Converged Systems. See the Converged Systems securitydocuments.

Disabling IPv6 on VMware ESXi hostsIPv6 is not supported with the initial release of VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 on Converged Systems. If IPv6was enabled as part of the update, disable IPv6.

Refer to the Enable Internet Protocol Version 6 Support section of the VMware vSphere ESXi andvCenter Server 6.0 Documentation.

Note: Disabling IPv6 in the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) will immediately reboot the ESXi host.

Verifying VMware vCenter ServerEnsure the VMware vCenter Server components are upgraded correctly.

If the Converged Systems that you upgraded do not have a specific component in the followinglist, skip that component and proceed with the next component.

Verify the following items to ensure VMware vCenter Server upgrade success for the AMP and for theConverged Systems:

• Database upgrade logs do not contain errors.

• VMware vCenter Server instances are accessible.

• VMware vCenter Server and VMware vSphere Client build numbers comply with the supportedversions in the Converged Systems Release Certification Matrix.

• All VMware licenses are applied and are not running in evaluation mode.

• The Update Manager tab in VMware vSphere Update Manager is available on the VMwarevSphere Client.

• Updated versions appear in the version column of the VMware vCenter Plug-in Manager in theVMware vSphere Update Manager. Those versions comply with the supported versions in theConverged Systems Release Certification Matrix.

• VMware vSphere ESXi build numbers on the management environment and VMware ESXi hostscomply with the supported versions in the Converged Systems Release Certification Matrix.

• There is network connectivity to virtual machines, VLAN, and VSAN.

• The applicable virtual machine hardware is at Version 11.

• For AMP-2RP, remove the old VMware vCenter Server Appliance that has been shut down, if ithas not already been removed.

• For AMP-2RP, verify replication tasks are configured for all Management VMs.

Configure replication for the upgraded VMware vCenter Server Appliance.

Part IV - Post-upgrade tasks | 28

• Verify that the time, date, and time zones are synchronized across all VMs and hosts.

Removing snapshots of VMware vSphere Management VMsRemove the snapshots of VMware vSphere Management VMs.

To remove snapshots of VMware vSphere Management VMs (SSO, Database, vCenter, and VUM):

If the AMP version in place is AMP-2RP, resume replication for the VMs.

1 Right-click a Management VM and select Snapshot > Snapshot Manager.

2 Select the snapshot to remove and click Delete.

3 Click OK.

4 Repeat these steps for each Management VM.

5 Remove the "F:\SSO" drive from the vCenter Server virtual machine.

Uninstalling VMware ESXi Syslog and Dump CollectorsUninstall the Syslog and Dump Collector applications with their associated data file repositories.

After completing the VMware vSphere upgrade, the previous versions of the Syslog and Dump Collectorapplications with their associated data file repositories still exist on the VMware Update Manager VM.Uninstall these applications and migrate or archive the data files.

Evaluating new features and platform design updatesEvaluate and implement new features and updates according to client requirements.

This topic lists new features and platform design configuration updates.

Features

• Virtual Machine Fault Tolerance

• VMware vSphere ESXi L3 vMotion

Design

• Define and configure service accounts for VMware vCenter Server and VMware Update Managerto manage application operations instead of using the local administrator account.

• Define and configure a new owner for the VMware vCenter and VUM SQL Server databasesinstead of using the local administrator account.

• Reconfigure SSO to be on an external PSC only and remove the embedded SSO (if present).

29 | Part IV - Post-upgrade tasks

• VMware Fault Tolerance for virtual machines is available on VLAN 107.

VMware Fault Tolerance requires a 10GbE connection and shared storage.

• VMware vSphere 6.0 vMotion Layer 3 support for the Vblock System compute blades is availableand will be assigned to VLAN 117.

Vblock System compute blades require the QoS default setting. Changing QoSsettings from platinum, gold, silver or bronze impacts the Cisco UCS service profilevNIC configuration. Before changing QoS settings, check the host control settings.

Part IV - Post-upgrade tasks | 30

The information in this publication is provided "as is." Dell Inc. makes no representations or warranties of any kind withrespect to the information in this publication, and specifically disclaims implied warranties of merchantability or fitnessfor a particular purpose.

Use, copying, and distribution of any software described in this publication requires an applicable software license.

Copyright © 2015 - 2017 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks aretrademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be the property of their respective owners. Publishedin the USA in April 2017.

Dell EMC believes the information in this document is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject tochange without notice.

31 | Copyright