vCenter version to ESXi version
Article ID: 318674
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
To clarify the versioning requirements between vCenter and ESXi
Impact/Risks:
In rare cases, ESXi hosts on a newer version than vCenter may not properly process the unicast agent updates. This can result in a vSAN network partition.
Symptoms:
- Discrepancies in reporting between ESXi and vCenter
- Slow updates from the Hosts to vCenter.
Environment
VMware vSAN (All Versions)
VMware vCenter Server (All Versions)
VMware vSphere ESXi (All Versions)
Cause
Communication between ESXi and vCenter is critical for VMware environments and build compatibility is key to reliable functionality. Code updates resolve known issues and enhance communication between related products.
For more detailed information regarding best practices for upgrading the environment see the following KBs:
- Update sequence for vSphere 8.0 and its compatible VMware products
- Update sequence for vSphere 7.0 and its compatible VMware products
vSAN
The health check feature of vSAN relies heavily on vCenter & ESXi communication and requires that vCenter be equal to or newer than the ESXi hosts for reliable communication.
VxRail
As VxRail is built upon vSAN, it carries similar requirements for vCenter.
See “Correlating VxRail Release with VMware build numbers” for details about released versions of VxRail
Resolution
Verify that the vCenter version is equal to or greater than the ESXi version.
See Correlating build numbers and versions of VMware by Broadcom products for more details about released products.
- After opening the KB, then select VMware vCenter Server, find the Build number, make note of the version
- After opening the KB, then select VMware ESXi/ESX, find the Build number, make note of the version
Note: Please verify that all the products are compatible with the version of vCenter when planning updates by using the Interoperability guide
Additional Information
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