Upgrade VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1 to 5.5 step by step guide

Below is a simple step by step guide (cut down version) on how to upgrade your on-premises ESXi 5.1 to 5.5.  The process is similar to going from 5.0 to 5.1 (detailed step by step guide) but major improvements in the Single Sign-On (SSO) database setup.

Summary of the upgrade steps:

1) Run Host Agent Pre-Upgrade Checker

2) Single Sign-On (SSO) installation (Simple / Custom)

3) VMware vSphere Web Client Upgrade

4) VMware vCenter Inventory Service

5) VMware vCenter Server Upgrade

6) VMware vSphere Client Upgrade

7) VMware vSphere Update Manager Upgrade

8) VMware vCenter Support tools

a. Dump Collector

b. Syslog Collector

9) VMware ESXi 5.1 Upgrade

Run Host Agent Pre-Upgrade Checker

Download the latest version from VMware (click here)

Run the installed by attaching the ISO onto vCenter 5.1 (virtualised).

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-001

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-002

Next

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-003

Depending on your setup choose the correct credential option

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-004

I only wanted to scan and check my host in my lab environment. If you want to scan all hosts choose standard mode.

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-005

Select default option until you get pass on your hosts and the press finish.

Single Sign On installation / upgrade (Simple / custom)

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-006

In my lab I have all the roles on my same virtual machine (Single Sign-On, vSphere Web Client, vCenter Inventory Service, vCenter Server). In my production the roles are split up so I would then choose “custom”

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-007

Earlier version is detected and will be upgraded as per message. Make sure you have a backup before upgrading!

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-008

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-009

Important! SSO now relies heavily on DNS. As my previous installation was via IP it will prompt the warning message but also identify the FQDN for the virtual machine. To use this press “accept”

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-010

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-011

Enter SSO credentials

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-012

Select “install”

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-013

VMware vSphere Web Client Upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-014

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-015

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-016

Lookup Service URL: https://vcenter_server(FQDN):7444/lookupservice/sdk

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-017

VMware vCenter Inventory Service

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-018

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-019

Earlier version is detected. Press “next”

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-020

Backup!

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-021

VMware vCenter Server Upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-022

Make sure you have a backup and all dependencies are checked. Highly recommend doing this during quite period. Although all the VM’s will be running during upgrade you loose the functionality like HA, DRS, VMotion. You can still log in to each ESXi host individually.

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-023

Choose upgrade existing vCenter Server database and tick I have taken a backup (once you have)

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-024

Select “automatic” and press “next”

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-025

Lookup Service URL: https://vcenter_server(FQDN):7444/lookupservice/sdk

VMware vSphere Client Upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-027

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-028

VMware vSphere Update Manager Upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-030

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-031

Earlier version detected. Select “OK” to upgrade (backup)

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-033

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-034

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-035

VMware vSphere Support tools – Dump Collector Upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-036

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-037

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-038

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-039

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-041

VMware vSphere Support tools – Syslog Collector Upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-042

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-043

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-044

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-045

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-046

VMware ESXi 5.1 upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-047

Host running on HP hardware so using iLO to remote in to upgrade the host. Attach .ISO and reboot host to get going (put host in maintenance mode before starting)!

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-048

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-049

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-050

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-051

Select “Upgrade ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore”

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-052

Warning message as I am using old hardware but we can still proceed with upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-053

Press “F11” to upgrade

ESXi 5.1 to 5.5-054

When upgrade is done select “Enter” to reboot. Give the host time to boot up as it initializes. Do the same for all the remaining host. You can also utilize update manager by uploading the .ISO p_w_picpath and then upgrading the hosts.

Make sure you upgrade the VMware tools.  If you upgrade the virtual machine hardware to version 10 then you can’t modify any settings on the standalone client.  You will have to use the web client, so be careful.  Saying this in the next version everything will be moving towards the web client.  I found it more fluid on version 5.5.  Make sure you familiarize yourself with it as it’s here to stay.