Setup guide

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VMware vSphere® 5.0 Upgrade
Best Practices
Upgrading to VMware ESXi 5.0
Following the vCenter Server upgrade, you are ready to begin upgrading your ESXi hosts. You can upgrade your
ESX/ESXi 4.x hosts to ESXi 5.0 using either the ESXi Installer or vSphere Update Manager. Each method has a
unique set of advantages and disadvantages.
UPGRADE METHOD ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
ESXi Installer • Uses the ESXi Installer
• No extra setup required
• Familiar, easy, fast
• Interactive, requires user input
• Requires host console access
Update Manager • Fully automated
• Upgrade using the vSphere
Client
• Patch multiple hosts in parallel
• Requires Update Manager
• Slower than ESXi Installer
• More stringent disk partitioning
requirements
In both cases, the host upgrade is performed in place, preserving the host configuration and enabling a quick,
easy upgrade with minimal impact to the business.
Choosing an Upgrade Path
The two upgrade methods work equally well, but there are specific requirements that must be met before a host
can be upgraded to ESXi 5.0. The following chart takes into account the various upgrade requirements and can
be used as a guide to help determine both your upgrade eligibility and your upgrade path. The following
sections discuss in detail the requirements and limitations.
Host on 32-bit
or Incompatible
Hardware
Replace Server
Host on 64-bit
Compatible
Hardware
Upgrade to 4.x
Host Running
ESX/ESXi 3.5
Host Running
ESX/ESXi 4.x
Running
vCenter 5.0
New 5.0 Install
Non-Upgradable
Boot Disk
Upgradable
Boot Disk
Upgrade to 5.0
Using ESXi
installer
Upgrade to 5.0
Using Update
Manager
Verifying Hardware Compatibility
ESXi 5.0 supports only 64-bit servers. Supported servers are listed on the vSphere Hardware Compatibility List
(HCL). When verifying hardware compatibility, it’s also important to consider firmware versions. VMware will
often annotate firmware requirements in the footnotes of the HCL. If no firmware information is provided, verify
compatibility requirements with your hardware vendor.