Update sequence for vSphere 6.0 and its compatible VMware products

Products

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

Issue/Introduction

This article only encompasses environments running vSphere and/or vCloud Suite 6.0 and VMware products compatible with vSphere 6.0.

In an environment with vSphere 6.0 and its compatible VMware products, perform 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 6.0 and its update sequence. For more information, see Upgrade path and Interoperability of VMware Products (70785) .

Environment

VMware vSphere Data Protection 6.0.x
VMware vRealize Orchestrator 6.0.x
VMware vSphere Replication 6.0.x
VMware vRealize Automation 6.2.x
VMware vRealize Application Services 6.2.x
VMware vCenter Site Recovery Manager 6.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0
VMware Cloud Director 5.5.x
VMware vRealize Hyperic 5.8.4
VMware vCenter Infrastructure Navigator 5.8.x
VMware vSphere Big Data Extensions 2.1
VMware NSX for vSphere 6.3.x
VMware vRealize Operations Manager 6.1.x
VMware NSX for vSphere 6.1.x
VMware vCenter Update Manager 6.0.x
VMware vRealize Operations Manager 6.0.x
VMware NSX for vSphere 6.2.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vRealize Business Standard 6.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.x

Resolution

This table describes the upgrade path in which the vSphere 6.0 and its compatible VMware products must be updated:

Supported Update Sequence

	vCenter SSO External	vRA	VCM	ITBM	vRAS	vCD	VCNS	NSX Manager	NSX Controllers	View Composer	View Connection Server	vCenter Server	vRO	VR	VUM	vROPs/ vCOPs	VDP	vRealize Hyperic	VIN	vCC	vRLI	BDE	SRM	ESXi	VMware Tools	vShield/ NSX Edge	vShield App/ NSX LFw	vShield Endpoint/ NSX Guest IDS	View Agent / Client
Seq.	1*
		2	2	2
					3	3
							4	4
									5	5
											6
												7*
													8	8	8	8*	8	8	8
																				9	9	9	9
																								10*
																									11	11
																											12	12	12

Note: Use the scroll bar in the table to view the complete list.

* Considerations when upgrading vSphere 6.0:

If you are using a Cisco Nexus 1000V, see vSphere 6.0 and its compatible third-party products in the Additional Information section of this article before upgrading vCenter Server (sequence step 7) or the ESXi hosts (sequence step 10).
If you are using vCenter Operations Manager 5.8.4 or earlier, see The vSphere Web Client 6.0 displays an internal error after upgrading to vSphere 6.0 in a pre-5.8.5 vRealize Operations Manager environment (2111224).
If you are using vSAN, see Upgrading from VMware vSphere 5.5 EP06 or 5.5 P04 to vSphere 6.0 GA can cause VMware vSAN Data Unavailability (DU) (2113024) before upgrading ESXi (sequence step 10).
If you are upgrading an environment that contains multiple SSO and vCenters, see the Mixed-Version Transitional Environments During vCenter Server Upgrades section of the vSphere Upgrade guide.

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.

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:

If applicable, upgrade the External vCenter Single Sign-On instance (sequence step 1)
Update vCloud Director (sequence step 3)
Update vCloud Networking and Security (sequence step 4)
Update vCenter Server (sequence step 7)
Update ESXi (sequence step 10)
Update vShield Edge (sequence step 12)

Example 2

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

If applicable, upgrade the External vCenter Single Sign-On instance (sequence step 1)
Update vCenter Server (sequence step 7)
Update vSphere Replication (sequence step 8)
Upgrade vCenter Site Recovery Manager (sequence step 9)
Update ESXi (sequence step 10)

Example 3

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

If applicable, upgrade the External vCenter Single Sign-On instance (sequence step 1)
Update vCenter Server (sequence step 7)
Update vSphere Data Protection (sequence step 8)
Update ESXi (sequence step 10)

Example 4

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

If applicable, upgrade the External vCenter Single Sign-On instance (sequence step 1)
Upgrade vRealize Automation Center (sequence step 2)
Upgrade vRealize Automation Application Services (sequence step 3)
Update vCenter Server (sequence step 7)
Update ESXi (sequence step 10)

Example 5

If you have a NSX for vSphere virtual networking solution installed in your environment, the supported patch update sequence is:

If applicable, upgrade the External vCenter Single Sign-On instance (sequence step 1)
Update NSX Manager (sequence step 4)
Update NSX Controller on each cluster (sequence step 5)

Note: During this sequence, additional VIBs may need to be installed on ESXi hosts.
Update vCenter Server (sequence step 7)
Update ESXi (sequence step 7)
Update NSX Edge (sequence step 11)
Update NSX Guest Introspection and Data Security (sequence step 12)

Example 6

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

If applicable, upgrade the External vCenter Single Sign-On instance (sequence step 1)
Verify with Cisco the compatibility for the Nexus upgrade procedure. This dictates the order for upgrading the vCenter Server and the ESXi hosts.
Update vCenter Server (sequence step 5)
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 6.0.

vSphere 6.0 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 6.0 and its compatible VMware products

Product	Latest Available Version	Recommended Action	Important Links
vCenter Single Sign-On (SSO) Note: External Deployment Only	6.0	Upgrade to Platform Services Controller 6.0.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Automation	6.1.1	Upgrade to 6.2.1	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Automation Application Services	6.1.1	Upgrade to 6.2.1	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Business Standard	1.1.1	Upgrade to 6.1.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Configuration Manager	5.7.2	Upgrade to 5.7.3	Release Notes Update Procedure
vCloud Director (VCD)	5.5.2.1	Upgrade to 5.5.3	Release Notes Update Procedure
vCloud Networking and Security (VCNS)	5.5.3.1	Update to 5.5.4	Release Notes Update Procedure
VMware NSX for vSphere	6.4.0	Upgrade to 6.4.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
Horizon View (View)	6.0.1	Update to 6.1	Release Notes Update Procedure
vCenter Server / vCenter Server Appliance	5.5 Update 2	Upgrade to 6.0.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Orchestrator	5.5.2.1	Upgrade to 6.0.1	Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere Replication (VR) vCenter Site Recovery Manager (SRM)	VR Version - 5.8.0.1 SRM Version - 5.8	Upgrade to 6.0	VR Release Notes SRM Release Notes Upgrading VR Upgrading SRM
vRealize Operations Manager (vROPs) vCenter Operation Manager (vCOPs)	vROPs Version - 6.0.1 vCOPs Version - 5.8.4	Update to: vROPs 6.0.1 vCOPs 5.8.5	vROPs: Release Notes vCOPs: Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere Infrastructure Navigator	5.8.3	Update to 5.8.4	Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere Data Protection (VDP)	5.8	Upgrade to 6.0.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Hyperic	5.8.3	Update to 5.8.4	Release Notes Update Procedure
vCenter Update Manager	5.5 Update 2	Upgrade to 6.0.0	Release Notes Update Procedure
vRealize Log Insight	2.0.5	Upgrade to 2.5	Release Notes Upgrade Procedure
vSphere Big Data Extension	2.1	Stay at 2.1	Release Notes Upgrade Procedure
vCloud Connector	2.6.1	Upgrade to 2.7	Release Notes Update Procedure
vSphere ESXi	5.5 Update 2	Upgrade to 6.0.0	Release Notes Update Procedure

vSphere 6.0 and its compatible third-party products

Product	Important Links
Cisco Nexus 1000V	Release Notes Update Procedure

Note: VMware does not support Nexus 1000V Application Virtual Switch (AVS) mode in vSphere 6.0 or any vSphere version. For more information, see the Third-Party Switch Compatibility for ESXi section of the vSphere 6.0 Release Notes.

Additional Information

Update sequence for vSphere 6.x and its compatible VMware products (74753)
Upgrading to VMware vCloud Director 5.5.x best practices
Important information before upgrading to vSphere 6.0
The vSphere Web Client 6.0 displays an internal error after upgrading to vSphere 6.0 in a pre-5.8.5 vRealize Operations Manager environment
Upgrading from VMware vSphere 5.5 EP06 or 5.5 P04 to vSphere 6.0 GA can cause VMware vSAN Data Unavailability
vSphere 6.0 及其兼容 VMware 产品的更新顺序
vSphere 6.0 およびその互換性のある VMware 製品の更新手順
Sequência de atualização do vSphere 6.0 e dos respectivos produtos da VMware compatíveis
Secuencia de actualización para vSphere 6.0 y su productos VMware compatibles