Clarification on Supervisor Cluster Upgrade Compatibility with VMware NSX Manager

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

This article clarifies the compatibility relationship between the vSphere Supervisor Cluster (Kubernetes) controller versions and VMware NSX Manager versions.

Customers upgrading vCenter Server to versions 8.0 Update 3k (or later) may observe pre-check requirements indicating a Supervisor Cluster controller upgrade (e.g., to v1.31.11). Confusion may arise regarding whether this update requires a corresponding update to the NSX Manager or NSX Application Platform (NAPP) version.

Environment

VMware NSX

vSphere with Tanzu

Cause

There is no direct coupling between the version of the Kubernetes Supervisor Cluster controller and the version of the NSX Manager.

The NSX version compatibility is determined by the underlying vSphere release and the NSX platform lifecycle. A routine upgrade of the Supervisor Cluster controller (Kubernetes control plane) to align with vSphere maintenance requirements does not necessitate an upgrade of the NSX Manager, provided the NSX version remains compatible with the target vSphere release as defined in the official VMware Product Interoperability Matrix.

Resolution

To ensure a successful upgrade, follow these verification steps:

1. Verify Interoperability: Confirm that your current NSX version is fully supported by the target vSphere version using the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix.
2. Confirm Independence: Acknowledge that the Supervisor Cluster controller update is a standard vSphere lifecycle operation and is independent of the NSX Manager's specific version.
3. Proceed with Upgrade: If the NSX version is certified for the target vSphere release, proceed with the vSphere and Supervisor Cluster upgrades following the standard documentation provided in the vSphere Lifecycle Management guides.

Additional Information

VMware Production compatibility matrix