vCenter and Supervisor Compatibility in vSphere 8.0 Upgrades

Products

• VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service

Issue/Introduction

When upgrading vCenter Server in a vSphere 8.0 environment with Supervisor services enabled (e.g., from Update 3e to 3g in a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) stack), compatibility between vCenter and Supervisor Kubernetes versions is critical to avoid disruptions in workload management. This KB outlines the supported versions, upgrade process, and key checks.

Environment

VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service

Resolution

• Check Broadcom Product Interoperability Matrix to verify supported versions for your specific environment.
• A key rule to remember is that every vCenter Server release supports exactly three Supervisor Kubernetes versions, creating a sliding window of compatibility to facilitate minor upgrades without full rebuilds.
• Example: vCenter Server 8.0 Update 3g supports Supervisor Kubernetes versions 1.30, 1.29, and 1.28.
• Auto-Upgrade behavior During vCenter Upgrades--- If your Supervisor is currently running Kubernetes version 1.27 (supported under vCenter Server 8.0 Update 3e) and you upgrade vCenter to 8.0 Update 3g, the Supervisor will automatically upgrade to 1.28—the lowest supported version in the target vCenter release. This ensures seamless compatibility post-upgrade.
• To Skip the Auto-Upgrade: Manually pre-upgrade the Supervisor to the lowest supported version in your target vCenter (e.g., 1.28) before proceeding with the vCenter upgrade.
• Apply the update via the vSphere Client (Workload Management > Updates), then upgrade vCenter using VCF Lifecycle Management tools or vSphere Update Manager.
• For more details on supported paths and known issues, refer to the vSphere Supervisor 8.0 Release Notes.