Specifications

Preparing for the Upgrade to vCenter
Server 3
Before you upgrade to vCenter Server, make sure your system is properly prepared.
To ensure that your system is prepared for the upgrade, read all the subtopics in this section.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“About the vCenter Server Upgrade,” on page 32
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“How vCenter Single Sign-On Affects vCenter Server Upgrades,” on page 32
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“vCenter Single Sign-On Deployment Modes,” on page 33
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“vCenter Single Sign-On and High Availability,” on page 35
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“vCenter Single Sign-On Components,” on page 37
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“Setting the vCenter Server Administrator User,” on page 37
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“Authenticating to the vCenter Server Environment,” on page 38
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“How vCenter Single Sign-On Affects Log In Behavior,” on page 38
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“Identity Sources for vCenter Server with vCenter Single Sign-On,” on page 39
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“vCenter Server Upgrade Summary,” on page 40
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“Required Information for Installing or Upgrading vCenter Single Sign-On, Inventory Service,
vCenter Server, and the vSphere Web Client,” on page 41
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“Best Practices for vCenter Server Upgrades,” on page 46
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“Prerequisites for the vCenter Server Upgrade,” on page 48
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“vCenter Server Database Configuration Notes,” on page 51
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“Upgrading to vCenter Server on a Different Machine,” on page 52
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“Supported Database Upgrades,” on page 53
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“Confirm That vCenter Server Can Communicate with the Local Database,” on page 53
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“Synchronizing Clocks on the vSphere Network,” on page 53
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“JDBC URL Formats for the vCenter Server Database,” on page 55
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“DNS Load Balancing Solutions and vCenter Server Datastore Naming,” on page 56
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“About the vCenter Host Agent Pre-Upgrade Checker,” on page 57
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“Downtime During the vCenter Server Upgrade,” on page 58
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“Download the vCenter Server Installer,” on page 59
VMware, Inc.
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