vCenter Server Back-in-time release upgrade restriction
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vCenter Server Back-in-time release upgrade restriction

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Article ID: 312157

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides information on the concept of "back-in-time" upgrade scenarios. Back-in-time upgrades are not supported by VMware.

A back-in-time scenario is defined as an upgrade path that would result in the deliberate regression of code and security fixes.

Example:
1. The current installation is vCenter Server 6.7 U3s release number 20540798  (released on 06-Oct-2022).
2. The planned upgrade path is to vCenter Server 7.0 U1 release date 16860138 (released on 06-Oct-2020).
3. vCenter Server 7.0 U1 is therefore considered a back-in-time release with reference to vCenter Server 6.7 U3s.

vCenter Server and ESXi matrix:

Note:
  • All vCenter Server 6.7 versions "Except vCenter Server 6.7 U3s build 20540798" upgrades to vCenter Server 8.0 are supported.
  • All vCenter Server 6.5 versions upgrades to vCenter Server 8.0 are not supported. 
  • Always reference the vSphere Release Notes for considerations when planning an upgrade to a vSphere environment.
  • In addition to the listed upgrade support matrix, all VC 6.5 & 6.7 releases are upgradable to VC 7.0U3l and onwards
For more information about vSphere ESXi Back-in-time release upgrade restriction, see vSphere ESXi Back-in-time release upgrade restriction (90408)

Note: (*) - VCSA release only.

Symptoms:

Note: VMware is no longer updating this KB. Back-in-time release information will now be managed through the Interoperability Matrix Tool. Please refer to the following link here. After selecting the appropriate solution, uncheck the "Hide Patch Releases."

 
  • Upgrade to a vSphere version that is released prior to your current installation is not supported.
  • Back-in-time release: A patch or update release that is backdated with reference to the release you are planning to upgrade from.
E.g. your current installation is vCenter Server 6.7 U3s release number 20540798 (released on 06-Oct-2022) and you plan to upgrade to vCenter Server 7.0 U1 release number 16860138 (released on 06-Oct-2020). vCenter Server 7.0 U1 is considered back-in-time release with reference to vCenter Server 6.7 U3s.
  • Upgrade from vCenter Server 6.7 U3s to vCenter Server 7.0 U1 is not supported due to the back-in-time nature of vCenter Server 7.0 U1. vCenter Server 6.7 U3s contains code and security fixes that are not in vCenter Server 7.0 U1 and might cause regression.


Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.0
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware ESXi 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.5.x
VMware ESXi 6.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Resolution

vCenter Server 7.0.x to 8.0 upgrade matrix::

Release Date 10/11/202212/15/202202/14/202303/30/202304/18/2023
 vCenter Server Release -
Build Number		vCenter Server
8.0IA/GA-20519528		vCenter Server
8.0a-20920323		vCenter Server
8.0b-21216066		vCenter Server
8.0c-21457384 		vCenter Server
8.0U1-21560480 
04/02/2020vCenter Server 7.0.0
- 15952498		YesYesYesYesYes
05/19/2020vCenter Server 7.0.0a
- 16189094		YesYesYesYesYes
06/23/2020vCenter Server 7.0.0b
- 16386292		YesYesYesYesYes
07/30/2020vCenter Server 7.0.0c
- 16620007		YesYesYesYesYes
08/25/2020vCenter Server 7.0.0d
- 16749653		YesYesYesYesYes
10/06/2020vCenter Server 7.0U1
- 16860138		YesYesYesYesYes
10/22/2020vCenter Server 7.0U1a
- 17004997		YesYesYesYesYes
12/17/2020vCenter Server 7.0U1c
- 17327517		YesYesYesYesYes
02/02/2021vCenter Server 7.0U1d
- 17491101		YesYesYesYesYes
03/09/2021vCenter Server 7.0U2
- 17694817		YesYesYesYesYes
04/27/2021vCenter Server 7.0U2a
- 17920168		YesYesYesYesYes
05/25/2021vCenter Server 7.0U2b
- 17958471		YesYesYesYesYes
08/24/2021vCenter Server 7.0U2c
- 18356314		YesYesYesYesYes
09/21/2021vCenter Server 7.0U2d
- 18455184		YesYesYesYesYes
10/05/2021vCenter Server 7.0U3
- 18700403		YesYesYesYesYes
10/21/2021vCenter Server 7.0U3a
- 18778458		YesYesYesYesYes
01/27/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3c
- 19234570		YesYesYesYesYes
03/29/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3d
- 1948086		YesYesYesYesYes
05/12/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3e
- 19717403		YesYesYesYesYes
07/12/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3f
- 20051473		YesYesYesYesYes
07/23/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3g
- 20150588		YesYesYesYesYes
09/13/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3h
- 20395099		NoNoYesYesYes
12/08/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3i
- 20845200		NoNoYesYesYes
12/22/2022vCenter Server 7.0U3j
- 20990077		NoNoYesYesYes
02/23/2023vCenter Server 7.0U3k
- 21290409		NoNoNoNoYes
03/30/2023vCenter Server 7.0U3l
-21477706		NoNoNoNoYes


image vCenter Server 6.7 to 8.0 upgrade matrix:

Release Date 10/11/202212/15/202202/14/202303/30/202304/18/2023
 vCenter Server
Release -
Build Numbers		 vCenter
Server 8.0GA-
20519528		 vCenter
Server 8.0a-
20920323		vCenter
Server 8.0b-
21216066		vCenter
Server 8.0c-
21457384		 vCenter
Server 8.0U1-
21560480
04/17/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0
8217866		YesYesYesYesYes
05/22/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0 a
8546234		YesYesYesYesYes
06/28/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0 b
8832884		YesYesYesYesYes
07/26/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0 c
9232925		YesYesYesYesYes
08/14/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0 d
9451876		YesYesYesYesYes
10/16/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0 U1
10244745		YesYesYesYesYes
12/20/2018vCenter Server
6.7.0 U1a
11338176		YesYesYesYesYes
01/17/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U1b
11726888		YesYesYesYesYes
04/11/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U2
13010631		YesYesYesYesYes
05/14/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U2a
13643870		YesYesYesYesYes
05/30/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U2b
13843380		YesYesYesYesYes
07/16/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U2c
14070457		YesYesYesYesYes
08/20/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3
14367737		YesYesYesYesYes
10/24/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3a
14836122		YesYesYesYesYes
12/05/2019vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3b
15132721		YesYesYesYesYes
01/30/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3c
15505668		YesYesYesYesYes
02/27/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3d
15679281		YesYesYesYesYes
03/26/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3e
15808844		YesYesYesYesYes
04/09/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3f
15976714		YesYesYesYesYes
04/28/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3g
16046470		YesYesYesYesYes
05/28/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3h
16275304		YesYesYesYesYes
07/30/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3i
16616482		YesYesYesYesYes
08/20/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3j
16708996		YesYesYesYesYes
10/22/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3k
17028579*		YesYesYesYesYes
11/19/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3l
17138064		YesYesYesYesYes
03/18/2021vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3m
17713310		YesYesYesYesYes
05/25/2021

vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3n
18010531

YesYesYesYesYes
09/21x`/2021vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3o
18485166		YesYesYesYesYes
11/23/2021vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3p
18831133		YesYesYesYesYes
02/08/2022vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3q
19300125		YesYesYesYesYes
06/14/2022vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3r
19832974		YesYesYesYesYes
10/06/2022vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3s
20540798		NoYesYesYesYes
 

vCenter Server 6.5 to 7.0 upgrade matrix:

Release Date 04/02/202005/19/202006/23/202007/30/202008/25/202010/06/202010/22/202012/17/202002/02/202103/09/202104/27/202105/25/202108/24/2021 09/21/202110/05/202110/21/202101/27/202203/29/202205/12/202207/12/202207/23/202209/13/202212/08/202212/22/202202/23/202303/30/2023
 vCenter Server Release -
Build Number		vCenter Server 7.0.0
- 15952498		vCenter Server 7.0.0a
- 16189094		vCenter Server 7.0.0b
- 16386292		vCenter Server 7.0.0c
- 16620007		vCenter Server 7.0.0d - 16749653vCenter Server 7.0U1 - 16860138vCenter Server 7.0U1a - 17004997vCenter Server 7.0U1c - 17327517vCenter Server 7.0U1d - 17491101vCenter Server 7.0U2 - 17694817vCenter Server 7.0U2a -
17920168		vCenter Server 7.0U2b -
17958471		vCenter Server 7.0U2c - 18356314vCenter Server 7.0U2d - 18455184vCenter Server 7.0U3 - 18700403vCenter Server 7.0U3a - 18778458vCenter Server 7.0U3c - 19234570vCenter Server 7.0U3d - 19480866vCenter Server 7.0U3e - 19717403vCenter Server 7.0U3f - 20051473vCenter Server 7.0U3g - 20150588vCenter Server 7.0U3h - 20395099vCenter Server 7.0U3i - 20845200vCenter Server 7.0U3j - 20990077vCenter Server 7.0U3k - 21290409vCenter Server 7.0U3l - 21477706
5/28/2020vCenter Server
6.5.0 U3j
16275158*		NoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
7/30/2020vCenter Server
6.5.0 U3k
16613358		NoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
8/25/2020vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3l - 16764584 *NoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
10/22/2020vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3m - 17027909*NoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
02/23/2021vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3n - 17590285NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
03/23/2021vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3o - 17720264 *NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
05/25/2021vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3p - 17994927NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
09/21/2021vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3q - 18499837NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
10/12/2021vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3r
- 18711281
 		NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
02/08/2022vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3s
- 19261680		NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
05/12/2022vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3t - 19757181NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
10/06/2022vCenter Server 6.5.0 U3u - 20510539NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYes


Note:

  • All prior releases of 6.5 to 7.0 are supported.
  • Due to recent out-of-band patching for PhotonOS, there are versions of vCenter Server with a release date that appear to make them supported upgrade paths, but would still create a regression of code.

vCenter Server 6.7 to 7.0 upgrade matrix:

Release Date 04/02/202005/19/202006/23/202007/30/202008/25/202010/06/202010/22/202012/17/202002/02/202103/09/202104/27/2021005/25/202108/24/202109/21/202110/05/202110/21/202101/27/202203/29/202205/12/202207/12/202207/23/202209/13/202212/08/202212/22/202202/23/202303/30/2023
 vCenter Server Release - Build Numbers vCenter
Server 7.0-15952498		vCenter
Server 7.0.0a-16189094		vCenter Server 7.0.0b- 16386292vCenter Server 7.0.0c- 16620007vCenter Server 7.0.0d- 16749653vCenter Server 7.0U1 - 16860138vCenter Server 7.0U1a - 17004997vCenter Server 7.0U1c - 17327517vCenter Server 7.0U1d - 17491101vCenter Server 7.0U2 - 17694817vCenter Server 7.0U2a - 17920168vCenter Server 7.0U2b - 17958471vCenter Server 7.0U2c
18356314		vCenter Server 7.0U2d - 18455184vCenter Server 7.0U3 -  18700403vCenter Server 7.0U3a - 18778458vCenter Server 7.0U3c - 19234570vCenter Server 7.0U3d - 19480866vCenter Server 7.0U3e - 19717403vCenter Server 7.0U3f - 20051473vCenter Server 7.0U3g - 20150588vCenter Server 7.0U3h - 20395099vCenter Server 7.0U3i - 20845200vCenter Server 7.0U3j - 20990077vCenter Server 7.0U3k - 21290409vCenter Server 7.0U3l - 21477706
04/09/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3f
15976714		NoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
04/28/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3g
16046470		NoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
05/28/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3h
16275304*		NoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
07/30/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3i
16616482*		NoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
08/20/2020vCenter Server 6.7.0 U3j 16708996NoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
10/22/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3k
17028579*		NoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
11/19/2020vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3l
17138064		NoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
03/18/2021vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3m
17713310		NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
05/25/2021

vCenter Server
6.7.0 U3n
18010531

NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
09/21x`/2021vCenter Server 6.7.0 U3o - 18485166NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
11/23/2021vCenter Server 6.7.0 U3p - 18831133NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
02/08/2022vCenter Server 6.7.0 U3q - 19300125NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
06/14/2022vCenter Server 6.7.0 U3r - 19832974NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
10/06/2022vCenter Server 6.7.0 U3s - 20540798NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYes


Note:

  • All prior releases of 6.7 to 7.0 are supported.
  • VMware vSphere 7.0U3c was released on January 27th 2022. Please see KB 86447 and KB 87258 for important information relating to this version.
 


Additional Information

For more information about vSphere ESXi Back-in-time release upgrade restriction, see vSphere ESXi Back-in-time release upgrade restriction (90408)

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