Updating VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.x

Products

VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

VMware product versions are numbered with up to three digits, for example, vCenter Server Appliance 5.0.1.

A release that changes the first or second digit involves major changes in the software, which requires an upgrade from the previous version.
A release that changes only the third digit indicates a smaller change, requiring only an update or patch.
This article provides steps to update the VMware vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA).

Note: The scope of this article covers the VMware vCenter Server Appliance. It does not cover other VMware vSphere Components, plug-ins or add-ons. When updating or upgrading a VMware product, see the specific documentation relating to any third-party or VMware plug-ins and add-ons.

Symptoms:

Environment

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.1.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.5.x

Resolution

Notes:

Before starting the update process, as a best practice VMware recommends that you back up or take a snapshot of the VMware vCenter Server Appliance virtual machine to facilitate recovery should the need arise.
Verify that the clocks of all machines on the vSphere network are synchronized. For more information, see Synchronizing Clocks on the vSphere Network section of vSphere Upgrade Guide.
Ensure all users and administrators are notified that all vCenter Server services are unavailable during the update process.
To monitor the progress of the update, see the /opt/vmware/var/log/vami/updatecli.log file.
The update process can take 90 to 120 minutes. Do not reboot until the update is complete.

To update the VMware vCenter Server Appliance:

Launch a web browser and go to http://vCenterServer:5480/ or https://vCenterServer:5480/.
Log in to the VMware vCenter Server Appliance web interface using your login credentials.
Click the Update tab.
Click Check update.

Note: After the update is complete, the VCSA 5.x Update is displayed in the list.
Click Install Updates.
Read and agree to the End User License Agreement (EULA).
During the update, the message VMware vCenter Server Appliance - 5.x Build xxxxxx Please wait... is displayed.
After the update completes, reboot the VMware vCenter Server Appliance using the web interface.

Additional Information

For more information, see:

For more information on the three supported methods to update the vCenter Server Appliance, see the Upgrade the VMware vCenter Server Appliance section of the vSphere Upgrade documentation. The supported methods to update the vCenter Server Appliance are:

For more information on upgrading the vCenter Server Appliance, see:

Updating the VMware vCenter Server Appliance from a zipped update bundle
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.0 Update 1a and Update 1b (VCSA) Known Issues
Upgrading vCenter Server Appliance from 5.0.x to 5.1
Update sequence for vSphere 5.1 Update 1 and its compatible VMware products
Upgrading vCenter Server Appliance 5.0.x/5.1 to 5.5
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.x の更新
更新 VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.x

Impact/Risks: