Specifications

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VMware Infrastructure 3 license file or a running license server when you are restoring VirtualCenter
2.5.
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Database backup files.
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SSL files found in: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\SSL on the
VirtualCenter or vCenter systems.
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Notes from the original installation regarding the selections, settings, and information used.
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vpxd.cfg files.
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vCenter Server and ESX/ESXi license keys.
Procedure
1 Uninstall the VirtualCenter or the vCenter Server.
2 Restore the previous version of the VirtualCenter or vCenter Server database from the backup.
See your database documentation.
3 Reinstall your original version of VirtualCenter or vCenter Server, selecting the restored database
during the installation process.
4 Verify that the license server is running if one was in use in the original installation.
5 Restore the VirtualCenter SSL certificate folder and vpxd.cfg to the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application
Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter directory.
6 Make sure the system DSN points to the database.
Upgrading Datastore and Network Permissions
In previous releases of vCenter Server, datastores and networks inherited access permissions from the
datacenter. In vCenter Server 4.0 and later, datastores and networks have their own set of privileges that
control access to them. You might have toassign privileges manually, depending on the access level you
require.
In vCenter Server 5.0, users are granted the No Access role on all new managed objects, including datastores
and networks. This means, by default, users cannot view or perform operations on them. All existing objects
in vCenter Server maintain their permissions after the upgrade. To determine whether to assign permissions
to existing datastores and networks, the upgrade process uses the datacenter's Read-only privilege.
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Read-only privilege is nonpropagating (not inherited by child objects). VMware assumes that access
privileges should not be assigned to datastores and networks. You must update your roles to include
the new datastore and network privileges. These privileges are required for users to view and perform
operations on these objects.
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Read-only privilege is propagating (inherited by child objects). VMware assumes that access privileges
should be assigned to datastores and networks so that users can view them and perform basic
operations that require access. The default minimum privileges are assigned during the upgrade
process.
After the upgrade process, if your roles require users to have more privileges, for example, the ability to
delete a datastore or network, update your permission roles.
Table 4‑7. Datastore and Network Permission Requirements
Object Before Upgrade Privilege After Upgrade Privilege Action Required to Enable Access
Datastore Nonpropagating Read-only No Access Assign access privileges for datastores or
datastore folders.
Propagating Read-only Allocate Space None.
Chapter 4 Upgrading to vCenter Server 5.0
VMware, Inc. 67