VMware SRM 6.5 Upgrade Part 3 – VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.5

In this post we will see how to upgrade VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) 6.5. It is supported the upgrading from SRM 6.1.x to vSphere Replication 6.5 only.

Before you begin make sure you complete the prerequisites

• VMware vCenter and vSphere Replication is upgraded to 6.5
• Download SRM 6.5 installation files which is downloaded in VMware website.
• Backup both SRM databases

Upgrade Procedures:

1. Login to Production site SRM server and run the SRM 6.5 installer, Click Next.

2. Click Next.

3. Click Next.

4. Click Next.

5. Enter PSC address and SSO credentials and click Next.

6. Accept the certificate warnings.

7. Click Next.

8. Enter email address and Local Host address (Auto populated IP address of host) and click Next.

9. It detects existing SRM extension and prompts to overwrite, Click Yes.

10. Choose “Use existing certificate” and click Next.

11. SRM will auto detect the DSN and prompt for User and password for SRM database. Enter appropriate details and click Next.

12. Select the Local System Account for service to run under. Click Next.

13. Click on Install.

14. Click Finish.

15. Repeat steps 1 to 16 to upgrade secondary site’s SRM.

16. Login to vSphere Web client with SSO admin. Select the vCenter name in Objects view and click on Actions->Reconfigure Pairing.

17. Enter Remote site PSC address and Click Next.

18. Select Center Extension and enter SSO credentials for remote vCenter, click OK. Accept the certificate warnings, Click Yes.

19. After pairing successful you can see both your sites now.

20. Login into Secondary vCenter by SSO admin, repeat steps 17 to 18.

21. Finally we will execute one of the recovery plan in TEST mode.

NOTE: The vSphere has been upgraded to 6.5 in protected and recovery sites.

22. The test can be completed successfully.

Both site recovery manager has been successfully upgraded to 6.5.

NOTE: You need to upgrade VMware Tools for the replicated VMs.

VMware SRM 6.5 Upgrade Part 2 – VMware vSphere Replication 6.5

In this post we will see how to upgrade VMware vSphere Replication (VR) 6.5. It is supported the upgrading from vSphere Replication 6.0.0.x, or 6.1.1.x to vSphere Replication 6.5.

Before you begin make sure you complete the prerequisites

• VMware vCenter is upgraded to 6.5
• Download ISO files for vSphere Replication appliance for both version 6.5 downloaded in VMware website.
• Backup both vSphere Replication databases

Upgrade Procedures:

1. Login to vSphere Web Client.
2. Navigate to vSphere Replication Appliance and mount the vSphere Replication 6.5 ISO

3. Open VR appliance VAMI page in browser https://vrappliance:5480 and login as root account.
4. Navigate to Update->Settings menu and change the Update Repository to “Use CDROM Updates” and click on “Save Settings”

5. Navigate to Update->Status and click on “Check Updates”. It will list the available updates, click on “Details” link to see more information.

6. After verifying the available update version click on “Install Updates” button. Select “OK” on prompt.

7. vSphere Replication will start copying files from ISO. Below screen is shown until Update is in progress.

8. When the upgrade is completed, VAMI interface shows below screen and ask for reboot.

9. Navigate to System->Information and click on “Reboot”

10. When it power on and starts to upgrade.

11. Once the VR is power on, we need to register it to Lookup Service. Navigate to VAMI interface. Navigate to VR->Configuration page and enter LookupServiceAddress (PSC FQDN), SSO Administrator, Password, DB Username and DB Password. Click on “Save and Restart Service”. It takes time to register extension in web client.

12. Repeat the step 1 to 11 to upgrade VR on the recovery site.

13. After that login to Web client and navigate to vCenter->Manage->vSphere Replication You will see “Not authenticated” under Status, here we need to reconnect the other site appliance.

14. Select the Secondary site vCenter and click on “Reconnect” button. Enter Secondary site PSC address and SSO credentials, click OK.

NOTE: If you don’t configure NTP setting on VR appliance, it will have Configuration Issue Status was shown.

15. Once complete vSphere Replication Status should show “Connected“.

16. Finally we can see the Outgoing Replications by navigating to vCenter->Monitor->vSphere Replication tab, the status of replication session shows OK.

NOTE: At this moment both vSphere replication appliances are upgraded and registered to vCenter. However both SRM is broken, because VR 6.5 is not supported with SRM 6.1.

VMware SRM 6.5 Upgrade Part 1 – VMware vCenter Server 6.5

In this post we will see how to upgrade VMware Site Recovery Manager (SRM) 5.5 to 6.5, the following is the detial of each component in each site.

Production and Remote Site
1 x VMware vCenter Server 6.0 Update 2
1 x VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.1
1 x VMware vSphere Replication 6.1
3 x VMware vSphere 6.0 Update 3

There is the upgrade sequence of VMware SRM 6.5 for the above vSphere environment
1. VMware vCenter Server 6.0 U2 to 6.5
2. VMware vSphere Replication 6.1 to 6.5
3. VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.1 to 6.5
4. VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 3 to 6.5

NOTE: For detail of supported upgrade sequence of VMware products, you can reference VMware KB “Update sequence for vSphere 6.5 and its compatible VMware products”

We can follow up my previous post to upgrade vCenter 6.0 to 6.5 by vCenter installation ISO for reference.

Below are the high level steps required for upgrading Site Recovery Manager (SRM) 6.5:

• Upgrade all components of vCenter Server on the protected site.
• Upgrade the vSphere Replication appliance on the protected site.
• Upgrade the VMware Site Recovery Manager on the protected site.
• Upgrade all components of vCenter Server on the recovery site.
• Upgrade the vSphere Replication appliance on the recovery site.
• Upgrade the VMware Site Recovery Manager on the recovery site.
• Upgrade the ESXi host on the recovery site.
• Upgrade the ESXi host on the protected site.
• Upgrade VMware Tools for the replicated VMs.

Part 2 – VMware vSphere Replication 6.5 Upgrade

Part 3 – VMware Site Recovery Manager 6.5 Upgrade

Upgrade VMware vRealize Operations Manager 6.2 to 6.5

There are two phases of upgrade VMware vRealize Operations Manager 6.5, it is Operating System and product upgrade. To upgrade vRealize Operations Manager to the latest version please follow the below procedures:

NOTE: The following procedure is upgrade VMware vRealize Operations Manager Virtual Appliance 6.2 to 6.5. Before this upgrade, it is highly suggest that you create a VMware snaphost of this virtual appliance.

1. Download Virtual Appliance Operating System and Product upgrade pak files from VMware website.

2. Login to administration page of VMware vRealize Operation Manager (https://vROps_IP/admin). Click Software Update, then Install a Software Update.

3. Browse a OS upgrade pak file (vRealize_Operations_Manager-VA-OS-6.5.0.5097678.pak) and click Upload.

4. Click Next.

5. Accept End User License Agreement.

6. Click Next.

7. Click Install.

8. Wait when an upgrade is completed. Check System Status if Cluster is online and all nodes are running (online).

9. Now start to product upgrade.

10. Browse a product upgrade pak file (vRealize_Operations_Manager-VA-6.5.0.5097678.pak) and click Upload.

11. Click Next.

12. Accept End User License Agreement.

13. Click Next.

14. Click Install.

15. Wait when an upgrade is completed. Check System Status if Cluster is online and all nodes are running (online).

16. After the two phases are completed successfully, this upgrade is finished. You can login vRealize Operations Manager 6.5 and verify each adapter in the Solutions.

Reference:

vRealize Operations Manager 6.5 Release Notes
https://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vrops/65/vrops-65-release-notes.html

Explore the Modern Data Center – Completed

I’ve just completed a MOOC on Exploring the Modern Data Center from EMC. What is a MOOC ? It is a Massive Open Online Course and free course. This course is a must for every IT professional who wants to understand, influence, and decide in transforming their IT organization to support their business needs.

Course Outline

Week 1: Introduction to the  Modern Data Center

• Challenges facing today’s businesses and IT organizations with classic data centers
• Definition of Modern Data Center (MDC); the characteristics of MDC – modernized infrastructure, automating services, and transforming people and processes
• Modernized IT infrastructure technologies: Converged, Flash, Scale out, Software-defined, Cloud-enabled, Protected, and Trusted.
• Converged & Hyper-converged Infrastructure (CI & HCI); its architecture and technological components, how it differs from classic IT infrastructure, and how it helps accelerate modernization of infrastructure.

Week 2, 3, and 4: Technologies of Modernized Infrastructure
Architecture, components, and business problems addressed by

• Flash storage
• Scale-out systems
• Software-defined systems
• Cloud-enabled systems
• Data Protection
• Security
• Product examples of above technologies

Week 5: Automation of Services

• Discovering individual systems, pooling them as a single resource pool, and provisioning
• Service planning, creation, operation, and termination
• Service orchestration and workflow
• Example of engineered solutions

Week 6: Transformation of People & Process, and Next Steps

• Identifying the skills required for the IT team and their new roles
• Recommended transformational technological training and ongoing plan
• Changing policies and procedures to deliver higher value to businesses
• Engaging external consultants for transformation
• Next steps: Recommended framework to initiate the journey to MDC

For more information I recommend you watch this video:

Rewards and Recognition

Take the end-of-course assessment and earn your digital badge. This assessment will be offered free of charge to anyone who would like to validate their knowledge on Modern Data Center concepts and make their learning credentials visible to their friends, colleagues, managers, and others.

Enrollment

https://educast.emc.com/learn/explore-the-modern-data-center-self-paced

Who are the Dell EMC Elect of 2017 ?

A merger of the EMC Elect and Dell Tech Centre Rockstar Programs, The Dell EMC Elect becomes the new program for recognition of Dell EMC’s advocates.

We believe it continues to represent, in the spirit of its predecessors, an incredibly successful and highly coveted oppurtunity for its members. Those recognised receive exclusive access and can call themselves Dell EMC Elect in appreciation for their contribution to the Dell EMC Community.

Nominations came in from far and wide, and our Dell EMC Elect Founders had a laborious task to judge the nominees. It was hard to decide, such was the caliber of the nominations put forward. However in the end it was done, the nominations were counted and evaluated. And on the 29th of March, 2017, 2 days later than planned, Such were the intense deliberations, “internet white smoke” has been seen from the Founders virtual enclave and the Dell EMC Elect of 2017 have been declared.

There were 600 illustrious nominations, leading to 300 finalists. Of those finalists, under tough and at times contentious debate the Dell EMC Elect number 153 for 2017, listed in alphabetical order below.

I am proud to be a part of Dell EMC Elect community this year.

https://community.emc.com/docs/DOC-57425

Dell EMC – Virtual Storage Integrator (VSI) 7.1

The EMC Virtual Storage Integrator (VSI) for VMware vSphere Web Client is a plug-in for VMware vCenter. It enables administrators to view, manage, and optimize storage for VMware ESX/ESXi servers and hosts, and then map that storage to the hosts.
VSI consists of a graphical user interface and the EMC Solutions Integration Service (SIS), which provides communication and access to the storage systems.
Depending on the platform, tasks that you can perform with VSI include:

• Storage provisioning
• Setting multipathing policies
• Cloning
• Block deduplication
• Compression
• Storage mapping
• Capacity monitoring
• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) integration
• Data protection using EMC AppSync or EMC RecoverPoint

The topology of VSI

The following is the high level deployment procedure of VSI 7.1.

Download the VSI OVA at http://support.emc.com, deploy this OVA into your VM farm.

Login into Solution Integration Service (SIS) by administrator, default login ID and password is “admin” and “ChangeMe”

https://<IP Address>:8443/vsi_usm/

Register VSI Plug-in, go to VSI Setup and input VMware vCenter information and click “Register” button.

Login into vCenter by Web Client, when logging in, web client will download the registered VSI Plugin. You can see this plugin in the Client Plug-in of vCenter.

Go to vCenter Inventory Lists and register SIS.

Then register Storage System.

You can select the supported EMC storage on Storage system type menu.

NOTE: The following table lists the supported EMC storage for VSI 7.1