vSphere Distributed Switch (VDS) Upgrade Best Practices

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

This article provides best practices, prerequisites, and operational guidelines for upgrading a vSphere Distributed Switch (VDS). Ensuring a stable upgrade path is critical for network availability.

VDS virtual switch version compatibility with vCenter and ESXi

vCenter Server Version	vDS Version	Host Version
vCenter Server 9.0	vDS 9.0/8.0/7.0	ESX 9.0
vCenter Server 8.0	vDS 8.0/7.0/6.6	ESXi 8.0
vCenter Server 7.0	vDS 7.0/6.6/6.5	ESXi 7.0

VDS version 6.5 can be upgraded to 6.6 or later.

Note: If the current VDS version is 6.5, a brief service interruption may occur during the switch upgrade to a later version. For VDS version 6.6 or higher, the switch upgrade to a newer version can be performed without service interruption.

Refer to Documentation for version compatibility, version features, and upgrade steps:

• 7.0: Upgrade a vSphere Distributed Switch to a Later Version
• 8.0: Upgrade a vSphere Distributed Switch to a Later Version
• 9.0: Upgrade a vSphere Distributed Switch to a Later Version

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

VMware ESXi

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)

Resolution

Prerequisites

Before initiating the upgrade, ensure the following compatibility requirements are met:

1. Verify vCenter Server compatibility: Ensure the vCenter Server version supports the target vDS version.
2. Verify ESXi host compatibility: Upgrade all ESXi hosts connected to the distributed switch to a version compatible with the target vDS version.

 

Best Practices & Operational Guidelines

To upgrade your vDS, follow these steps and best practices:

Preparation and Backup:

• Export the current VDS configuration: Navigate to Networking > Distributed Switch > Actions > Export Configuration (select "Distributed switch and all port groups").
• Reference: Exporting, Importing, and Restoring Distributed Switch Configurations.

Maintenance Window:

• Perform the upgrade during an approved maintenance window.

Cluster Operations:

• Set Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) to Manual mode for all clusters sharing the vDS to prevent unexpected vMotion operations.

Execution:

• Upgrade one vDS at a time.
• For hosts with separate management and workload switches, upgrade the workload vDS first to ensure management isolation.
• Use the vSphere Client to perform the upgrade to the target version.

Post-Upgrade:

• Return DRS to its original settings.
• Validate network functionality.
• Note: This upgrade is irreversible.

Additional Information

Refer to the following KB articles for issues related to VDS version synchronization and updates:

• ESXi hosts out of sync on a VDS after migration/upgrade
• ESXi hosts showing out of sync with VDS
• Packet drops on VMs during VDS upgrade from 6.5 to 7.0.3
• Known issues when upgrading a VDS from 6.5 or earlier to DVS 6.6 or later
  
  

If you encounter issues or require support, Contact Broadcom support