Specifications

Table Of Contents
Install vCenter Server in a Migration from a Windows Server 2003 Host
After you migrate vCenter Server SSL certificates from a Windows Server 2003 host to a host that is
supported for vCenter Server 5.5, you can install vCenter Server on the new host.
If you do not enter a license key, vCenter Server will be in evaluation mode, which allows you to use the full
feature set for a 60-day evaluation period. After installation, you can enter the license key to convert vCenter
Server to licensed mode.
NOTE vCenter Server 5.5 supports connection between vCenter Server and vCenter Server components by
IP address only if the IP address is IPv4-compliant. To connect to a vCenter Server system in an IPv6
environment, you must use the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or host name of the vCenter Server.
The best practice is to use the FQDN, which works in all cases, instead of the IP address, which can change if
assigned by DHCP.
Prerequisites
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Verify that the new host machine meets the requirements for the version 5.5 vCenter Inventory Service.
See Chapter 2, “System Requirements,” on page 13.
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Review the topics in Chapter 3, “Preparing for the Upgrade to vCenter Server,” on page 31.
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To install the vCenter Server on a drive other than C:, verify that there is enough space in the C: drive to
install the Microsoft Windows Installer .msi file.
Procedure
1 In the software installer directory, double-click the autorun.exe file to start the installer.
2 Select vCenter Server and click Install.
3 Follow the prompts in the installation wizard to choose the installer language, and agree to the end user
patent and license agreements.
4 Click Use an existing supported database and select your legacy database from the list of available
DSNs. Enter the user name and password for the DSN.
NOTE You might get a warning that the DSN points to an older version of a repository that must be
upgraded. If you click Yes, the installer upgrades the database schema, making the database
irreversibly incompatible with previous VirtualCenter versions.
5 If the installer prompts you, enter the JDBC URL for your existing vCenter Server database.
The installer should generate and validate the JDBC URL for the vCenter Server database. If the
installer fails to connect to the database by using the generated JDBC URL, the installer prompts you to
specify the JDBC URL.
6 If the installer warns that the DSN points to an older version of a repository that must be upgraded,
click Yes.
The installer upgrades the database schema, making the database irreversibly incompatible with
previous vCenter Server versions.
7 Enter the administrator name and password that you use when you log in to the system on which you
are installing vCenter Server.
You need the user name and password to log in to vCenter Server after you install it.
The Fully Qualified Domain Name text box displays the FQDN of the system that you are installing
vCenter Server on. The vCenter Server installer checks that the FQDN is resolvable. If not, a warning
message appears when you click Next. Change the entry to a resolvable FQDN. You must enter the
FQDN, not the IP address.
vSphere Upgrade
116 VMware, Inc.