Specifications
Upgrading and Migrating Your Hosts 6
After you upgrade vCenter Server, and vSphere Update Manager if you are using Update Manager,
upgrade or migrate VMware ESX 4.x and ESXi 4.x hosts to ESXi 5.0.
These topics are intended for administrators who are upgrading ESX, ESXi, and virtual machines from
ESX 4.x/ESXi 4.x to ESXi 5.0.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“Preparing to Upgrade Hosts,” on page 77
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“Performing the Upgrade or Migration,” on page 99
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“After You Upgrade or Migrate Hosts,” on page 144
Preparing to Upgrade Hosts
For a successful upgrade of your hosts, understand and prepare for the changes that are involved.
Best Practices for ESXi Upgrades and Migrations
When you upgrade or migrate hosts, you must understand and follow the best practices process for a
successful upgrade or migration.
For a successful upgrade or migration, follow these best practices:
1 Make sure that you understand the ESXi upgrade process, the effect of that process on your existing
deployment, and the preparation required for the upgrade.
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If your vSphere system includes VMware solutions or plug-ins, make sure they are compatible
with the vCenter Server version that you are upgrading to. See the VMware Product
Interoperability Matrix at
http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/sim/interop_matrix.php.
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Read “Preparing to Upgrade Hosts,” on page 77 to understand the changes in configuration and
partitioning between ESXi 4.x and ESXi 4.x and ESXi 5.0, the upgrade and migration scenarios that
are supported, and the options and tools available to perform the upgrade or migration.
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Read the VMware vSphere 5.0 Release Notes for known installation issues.
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If your vSphere installation is in a VMware View environment, see “Upgrading vSphere
Components Separately in a VMware View Environment,” on page 175.
2 Prepare your system for the upgrade.
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Make sure your current ESX or ESXi version is supported for migration or upgrade. See
“Supported Upgrades and Updates to ESXi 5.0.x,” on page 86.
VMware, Inc.
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