Update sequence for vSphere 5.5 and its compatible VMware products

Products

• VMware
• VMware Aria Suite
• VMware Cloud Director
• VMware Live Recovery
• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

VMware has made available certain releases to address critical issues for several products, including:

• vCloud Director (VCD)
• vCloud Networking and Security (VCNS) (formerly vShield Manager)
• Horizon View
• vCenter Server
• vSphere Replication (VR)
• vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM)
• vRealize Operations Manager (formerly known as vCenter Operations Manager)
• vSphere Data Protection (VDP)
• vSphere Storage Appliance (VSA)
• ESXi
• vShield Edge
• vShield App
• vShield Endpoint

This article only encompasses environments running vSphere 5.5 and VMware products compatible with vSphere 5.5.

In an environment with vSphere 5.5 and its compatible VMware products, follow the update sequence described in the Supported Update Sequence table.

Note: This article refers only to the latest versions of VMware products that are supported by vSphere 5.5 and its update sequence. For a complete list of VMware products compatible with vSphere 5.5, see VMware Product Interoperability Matrixes.

Environment

VMware View 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.5.x
VMware vSphere Data Protection 5.5.x
VMware vSphere Replication 5.5.x
VMware vSphere Storage Appliance 5.5.x
VMware Cloud Director Appliance 5.5.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
VMware Cloud Director 5.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x
VMware vCloud Networking and Security 5.5.x

Resolution

This table describes the sequence in which the vSphere 5.5 and its compatible VMware products must be updated:

Supported Update Sequence

VCD

VCNS (formerly vShield Manager)

View Composer

View Connection Server

VSA Manager

vCenter Server

VR / SRM

vRealize Operations

VDP

ESXi

VMware Tools

vShield Edge

vShield App

vShield Endpoint

View Agent / Client

Update Sequence Number

1

2

3

4

4**

5*

6

6

6

7*

8

9

9

9

9

* If you are using a Cisco Nexus 1000V, see vSphere 5.5 and its compatible third-party products in the Additional Information section of this article before upgrading vCenter Server (sequence step 5) or the ESXi hosts (sequence step 7).

Note: If you need to update multiple products in your environment, start with updating the product with the lowest sequence number. After you update the product, update the product with the next sequence number. If a product is not present in your environment, update the subsequent product. If you need to update two products with the same sequence number, the order of update does not matter.

Before you update vCenter Server, disable vCenter Server from vCloud Director. Also ensure that you stop or disable other VMware services so that they do not communicate with vCenter Server during the update process. For more information, see the product documentation.

Sample VMware product upgrade scenarios

Example 1

If you have the vCloud Director solution stack installed in your environment, the supported patch update sequence is:

1. Update vCloud Director (sequence step 1)
2. Update vCloud Networking and Security (vShield Manager) (sequence step 2)
3. Update vCenter Server (sequence step 5)
4. Update ESXi (sequence step 7)
5. Update vShield Edge (sequence step 9)

Example 2

If you have SRM solution installed in your environment, the supported patch update sequence is:

1. Update vCenter Server (sequence step 5)
2. Update vSphere Replication (sequence step 6)
3. Update ESXi (sequence step 7)

Example 3

If you have the vSphere Data Protection solution installed in your environment, the supported patch update sequence is:

1. Update vCenter Server (sequence step 5)
2. Update vSphere Data Protection (sequence step 6)
3. Update ESXi (sequence step 7)

Example 4

If you have a Cisco Nexus 1000V virtual distributed switch solution installed in your environment, the supported patch update sequence is:

1. Verify with Cisco the compatibility for the Nexus upgrade procedure. This will dictate the order for upgrading the vCenter Server and the ESXi hosts.
2. Update vCenter Server (sequence step 5)
3. Update ESXi (sequence step 7)

Note: If you are using the vSphere Client in your environment, VMware recommends that you upgrade the vSphere Client to version 5.5.

vSphere 5.5 and its compatible VMware products

This table provides information about the current version of released VMware products and the recommended action required to patch to the next level. The table also provides reference links to release notes and update procedure documents.

vSphere 5.5 and its compatible VMware products

Product	Version	Recommended Action
vCloud Director (VCD)	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
vCloud Networking and Security (VCNS)	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
Horizon View (View)	5.2.0	Update to 5.2.0
vCenter Server	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
vSphere Replication (VR) / vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM)	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
vRealize Operations Manager	5.7.2	Update to 5.7.2
vSphere Data Protection (VDP)	5.5.1	Update to 5.5.1
vSphere Storage Appliance (VSA)	5.5	Update to 5.5
ESXi	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
vShield Edge	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
vShield App	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0
vShield Endpoint	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0

vSphere 5.5 and its compatible third-party products

 

Product	Important Links
Cisco Nexus 1000V	Release Notes

Additional Information

Update sequence for vSphere 6.x and its compatible VMware products (74753)
Methods of upgrading to vCenter Server 5.5 on a Windows operating system
Methods for upgrading to ESXi 5.5