6.0.2

Table Of Contents
Prepare Microsoft SQL Server Database Before Upgrading to vCenter Server 6.0
Ensure that your Microsoft SQL Server database meets requirements, that you have the necessary
credentials, and that you complete any necessary cleanup or other preparation before upgrading
vCenter Server.
To remove the DBO role and migrate all objects in the DBO schema to a custom schema, see the VMware
knowledge base article at hp://kb.vmware.com/kb/1036331.
Microsoft SQL Server Express is no longer supported for vCenter Server 6.0. The vCenter Server 5.x
embedded Microsoft SQL Server Express database is replaced with an embedded PostgreSQL database
during the upgrade to vCenter Server 6.0. To upgrade without migrating to the PostgreSQL database, see
the VMware knowledge base article hp://kb.vmware.com/kb/2109321.
To migrate the vCenter Server database from Microsoft SQL Express to Microsoft full SQL Server, see the
VMware knowledge base article at hp://kb.vmware.com/kb/1028601.
I You cannot use Integrate Windows for your authentication method if the vCenter Server
service is running under the Microsoft Windows built-in system account.
Prerequisites
Verify that you have conrmed basic upgrade interoperability before preparing your Microsoft SQL Server
database for upgrading vCenter Server. See “vCenter Server for Windows Database Requirements,” on
page 37 and “vCenter Server Appliance Database Requirements,” on page 39.
Verify that you have backed up your database. For information about backing up the vCenter Server
database, see the Microsoft SQL Server documentation.
To set database permissions correctly, see “Database Permission Requirements for vCenter Server,” on
page 59 and “Use a Script to Create and Apply a Microsoft SQL Server Database Schema and Roles,” on
page 57.
Procedure
1 Verify that your database meets the upgrade requirements. If necessary, upgrade the database to a
supported version.
2 If your database server is not supported by vCenter Server, perform a database upgrade to a supported
version or import your database into a supported version.
3 If your existing database is Microsoft SQL Server, and you want to upgrade to a newly supported
Microsoft SQL Server database, such as Microsoft SQL Server 2012, upgrade your Microsoft SQL Server
database before upgrading vCenter Server.
You do not need to install a new vCenter Server instance if your existing database is Microsoft SQL
Server.
For example, you can upgrade a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database to a Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2-
SP2, 2012, or 2014 database and then upgrade vCenter Server 5.0 or later to vCenter Server 6.0.
When you migrate the database from Microsoft SQL Server 2005 to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2-SP2
or later, set the compatibility level of the database to 100.
4 Verify that permissions are set correctly.
5 Verify that passwords are current and not set to expire soon.
6 Verify that JDK 1.6 or later is installed on the vCenter Server machine.
vSphere Upgrade
56 VMware, Inc.