Update sequence for vSphere 5.5 and its compatible VMware products (2057795)

Purpose

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)
• vCenter Operations Manager (vCOPS)
• 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.

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

View Composer

View Connection Server

VSA Manager

vCenter Server

VR / SRM

vCOPS

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 the vSphere Storage Appliance solution installed in your environment, the supported patch update sequence is:

1. Update vSphere Storage Appliance Manager (sequence step 4)
   1. For a 2 node VSA cluster, see Upgrade a Two-Node VSA Environment in the vSphere Storage Appliance Installation and Administration guide
   2. For a 3 node VSA cluster, see Upgrade a Three-Node VSA Environment in the vSphere Storage Appliance Installation and Administration guide
2. Update vCenter Server (sequence step 5)
3. Update vSphere Storage Appliance Cluster (sequence step 6)

Example 5

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	Important Links
vCloud Director (VCD)	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vCloud Networking and Security (VCNS)	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
Horizon View (View)	5.2.0	Update to 5.2.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vCenter Server	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere Replication (VR) / vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM)	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	VR Release Notes SRM Release Notes Upgrading VR Upgrading VR without internet access Upgrading SRM
vCenter Operations Manager (vCOPS)	5.7.2	Update to 5.7.2	Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere Data Protection (VDP)	5.5.1	Update to 5.5.1	Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere Storage Appliance (VSA)	5.5	Update to 5.5	Release Notes Update Procedure
ESXi	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vShield Edge	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vShield App	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vShield Endpoint	5.5.0	Update to 5.5.0	Release Notes Update Procedure

Additional Information

vSphere 5.5 and its compatible third-party products

Product	Important Links
Cisco Nexus 1000V	Release Notes Update Procedure

Reference KB 2057795