Hi I have a SR open with VMware since last week and I am waiting for their feedback. I found another discussion for upgrading with an older version. Interesting as ther eis no mention of a restore of the DB, the main difference seems to be step 9.
https://communities.vmware.com/thread/391115
Create a backup of your database, or if your vCenter Server is a virtual machine, make a snapshot of the virtual machine. ·
Ensure that your SQL or Oracle clients are at the supported version. See Installing vCenter Server 5.0 best practices (2003790) for more information. ·
Verify that all required database permissions have been applied to the database. See Installing vCenter Server 5.0 best practices (2003790) and the vSphere Upgrade Guide for more information. ·
Ensure that your Secondary Node is active. In order to perform the upgrade, follow these steps below:
1. Stop the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service, however, leave protected applications running on both nodes by going to Start > Run > services.msc.
2. Set the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Manual on both nodes.
3. Perform a vCenter Server 5.0 upgrade on the Secondary Node. Ensure that the database is successfully upgraded during the install wizard.
4. Reboot and test the vCenter Server 5.0 installlation on the Secondary Node in order to ensure that it is functioning correctly. Leave the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Manual at this time.
5. After successful testing, set the VMware VirtualCenter Server service and the VMware VirtualCenter Management WebServices service to Manual, while still ensuring that the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service is set to Manual.
6. Start the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service and make sure it comes up correctly. It won't be able to replicate with the other node because of version differences.
7. Set the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Automatic.
8. Now shutdown the Secondary Node.
9. Enable the Public NIC on the Primary Node:
a. Open a command prompt and navigate to the following directory: cd “%ProgramFiles%\VMware\VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat\R2\Bin”
b. Run the command: nfpktfltr.exe setfilter PassThru
c. Verify the packet filter’s state to be passthru by running the command: nfpktfltr.exe getstate
d. Test connectivity by performing a ping out over Public NIC, such as to a remote workstation with using a command such as: ping
10. Run the vCenter Server 5.0 Upgrade installation. Note: Do not overwrite the existing database and do not reboot after installation is complete.
11. Set the VMware VirtualCenter Server service and VMware VirtualCenter Management WebServices service to Manual.
12. Set the VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat service to Automatic.
13. Shutdown the Primary Node. VMware vCenter Heartbeat will still think it is passive.
14. Power on the Secondary (Active) Node. Ensure that the VMware vCenter Heartbeat server is healthy and that vCenter Server 5.0 tests successfully.
15. Now power on the Primary (Passive) Node. Ensure Replication activates and is healthy.
16. Make the Primary Node active. Ensure that replication activates and is healthy.
17. Test vCenter Server, and ensure it tests successfully.
What do you make of that procedure?
Thanks again for your time