How to easily update your VMware vCenter Server Appliance from VCSA 6.5.x to 6.5.0b

Posted by Paul Braren on Mar 15 2017 (updated on Mar 31 2018) in
  • ESXi
  • Virtualization
  • HowTo
  • HomeLab

    • Important Update - On Mar 20 2018, VMware VMSA-2018-0004.3 announced that CVE-2017-5715 (Spectre-2) mitigation is now included in the latest patch that you should be using instead of the older patch featured in the original article below. You'll find the newer article here:

    Article below as it originally appeared.

    VMware vCenter Server 6.5.0b Release Notes | 14 MARCH 2017 | ISO Build 5178943

    Warning:
    vCenter/VCSA 6.5 should be upgraded to 6.5.0b (aka 6.5 b) before upgrading your host(s) to ESXi 6.5.0a, which is still the latest ESXi version by the way.

    There's a nice benefit to 6.5.0b, see also the closely related article:

    Once in a while, things are easy. One of the selling points of making the big move from vCenter+Windows to VCSA has been the ease of VCSA upgrades through the handy VAMI web UI. Yep, works as advertised, just like it did when going from 6.5 to 6.5.0.a back in February. This is a very easy upgrade, as shown screen-by-screen walk through below, and in the video below.

    Prerequisite

    • VCSA 6.5.x with internet access

    If your VCSA has no internet access, follow the offline install procedure at:

    Preparations

    Warning:

    Do this VCSA 6.5.0b upgrade in a test environment first! Before attempting, you should be sure to have a full backup, such as the simple native VCSA backup button seen at top-right. You can also use a 3rd party backup solution. At a minimum, you can do a snapshot of this VCSA VM before upgrading, make sure everything works alright, then remove the snapshot, ideally within a day or so, to avoid performance degradation

    easy-upgrade-to-vcsa-65

    If you're looking for how you get from 6.0.x to 6.5, that's more of a migration, and the right article for you is over here:

    If you're looking for how you get from ESXi 6.5.x to 6.5.0a, that article is over here:

    easy-upgrade-to-esxi-650a

    Simple Upgrade from VCSA 6.5 to 6.5.0a using VAMI - Video

    VCSA upgrade to 6.5.0b using VAMI.

    Simple Upgrade from VCSA 6.5 to 6.5.0a using VAMI - Screenshots

    Takes about 2 to 3 minutes to upgrade, if your VCSA VM is located on an SSD based datastore, such as the Samsung 960 EVO 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD I used for my home datacenter, featured in this video.

    go-to-ip-or-name-of-your-vcsa-TinkerTry
    in your browser, go to your VCSA IP or Name:5480
    login-to-your-VCSA-TinkerTry
    login with root and your password
    click-on-Update-then-on-Check-Updates-TinkerTry
    along the left edge of DCUI, click 'Update', then click on 'Check Updates'
    click-on-Check-Repository-TinkerTry
    click 'Check Repository'
    click-on-I-accept-then-click-Install-TinkerTry
    click on 'I accept' checkbox, then click on 'Install'
    wait-for-your-VCSA-TinkerTry
    wait for a bit, on SSDs, a bit is less than 2 minutes
    upgraded-successfully-VCSA-TinkerTry
    wow, you're done already
    click-on-Summary-then-click-on-Reboot-TinkerTry
    at left, click on 'Summary', then at right, click on 'Reboot'
    login-to-your-VCSA-TinkerTry
    login with root and your password
    click-on-Update-then-on-Check-Updates-then-on-Check-Repository-TinkerTry
    along the left edge of DCUI, click 'Update', optionally also clicking on 'Check Updates' then 'Check Repository', with the DCUI showing you confirmation that you're already done, since you're at 6.5.0.5300 Build Number 5178943

    See also at TinkerTry

    TinkerTry - PCs, EVs, home tech, efficiency and more, including virtualization. My opinions here. Currently consulting while seeking my next employer.

    Paul Braren, MCSE in 1998, VCP #2681 in 2005, vExpert 2014 to 2024, Veeam Vanguard Emeritus, 2015 to 2019.

    Member of Build Green Connecticut

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    Easily update VMware ESXi at TinkerTry.com/easy-update-to-latest-esxi

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    After 6 successful years testing then shipping well over 1,000 Xeon D Bundles, Wiredzone had to stop selling them in mid-2021 due to cost, supply, and logistics challenges. The Xeon D-1700/2700 (Ice Lake D) was a minor refresh for 2023, with Xeon D-1800/2800 (Granite Rapids D) refresh slightly better in 2024, and hopefully Xeon 6 (Granite Rapids-D) much better in 2025 featuring PCIe Gen5, MCRDIMMs, and 100GbE networking, wow! I'm bummed that Pat Gelsinger was apparently ousted from Intel's helm in these challenging times, but I'm also grateful to have had the honor of working at VMware when he was the CIO there. I'll leave it at that, given the whole Broadcom thing.