Windows VCenter to VCSA

[bbelew]

We are currently on Simplivity version of 3.7.4.52 and are looking to go away from the Windows VCenter Server to the VCSA.  The version of VCenter is 6.5.  Does anyone know what problems are we going to run into with this considering we have 26 Simplivity nodes running 3.7.4.52 and esxi 6.5 so I can't get everything updated in 1 day.

I am looking at moving the arbiter to a separate windows server first and then point all OVC's to the new arbiter.  Then I would run the vcenter to vcsa migration tool but not sure what problems this will cause if any with Simplivity?

Also when upgrading all my OVC's from 3.7.4.52 to 3.7.7 do they need to be upgraded at once or can I update them slowly over a few days because we have so many and there might be problems?

[DeclanOR · Accepted solution]

Hi @bbelew

Thanks for your query.

Before progressing, I need to point out that the 3.7.7 procedure for moving to a new vCenter has changed slightly, and will need support intervention to assist. 

Moving to version 3.7.6 will give you more flexibility and allow you progress independantly if you prefer to do so.

Assuming you go with 3.7.6 , and assuming interop guide has been checked regards compatability with ESXis etc: 

Firstly, you are doing the right thing by starting with the arbiter. Install the new 3.7.6 arbiter version on the new server. Leave the old arbiter running at all times during the re-point, and re-point one arbiter in each cluster to the new arbiter ip address. Once all repointed, stop the arbiter service on the old arbiter server, and run the svt-federation-show command from any OVC to ensure that they all show as being connected to the new arbiter. Only when all shows as healthy, should you progress.

You can stand up the new vCSA, and create your clusters as per the old configuration. Install the 3.7.6 plugin on the new vCSA.

Once your clusters are created, you can go ahead and disconnect your ESXi's from the old vCenter, and begin adding them to the new vCenter in their respective clusters. You will then need to re-point all of your OVC's to the new vCenter, and update the identity store on each OVC. For any single node clusters, you will need to plan downtime, as the OVC will need to be re-booted during the process.

Once everything is fine from a VMware perspective, and assuming all of your ESXi's are at a version supported by OVC software version 3.7.6 you can continue. Please reference the 3.7.6 interop guide to confirm.

There is no problem spreading the upgrade process out over a week or so, but do ensure that one cluster at a time is completed. Once all are completed, you can commit the upgrades. Again here, single node clusters will require downtime as the OVC will reboot during the process.

Hope this helps give you a high level overview. 

Thanks,

DeclanOR

[bbelew]

Thanks for the response and the info that was helpful.  Especially since I haven't seen any previous mention about 3.7.7 and moving to a new vcenter.

In your notes you mentioned standing up a new vcenter and manually moving the hosts over.  I can do this but was hoping to just use the migration method so that everything I have currently setup in vcenter gets migrated.  Do you know if there are problems doing the vcenter conversion that way instead of standing up a new instance and manually moving everything?

[DeclanOR]

Hi @bbelew

I haven't ever done or heard of customers doing it this way, so can't give you a definitive response. This is probably more of a question for VMware.

Regardless how you actually do it, we will still need to do a full repoint of all OVC's to the new VC afterwards, which does require a reboot of each OVC.

The decision wil be yours, but maybe a cal to VMware to confirm from their perspective would be good for your own benefit.

In reality it is only the database that you really want to copy over, and I believe there may be ways to copy the DB out, but again, best to speak with VMware or investigate further yourself.

Hope this helps,

Thanks,

DeclanOR

[bbelew]

Thanks for the info!

[MikeSeden]

Reading the thread and wanted to mention-

Make sure you deploy the VCSA from the Platform Services Controller.