Upgrading an SDDC From V7 to V8
You can upgrade the VMware software in an SDDC from version 7 to version 8.
When the upgrade becomes available, a message and Upgrade button is provided on the details page of the SDDC that you use to begin the workflow when you're ready. The upgrade workflow is a combination of automated processes and prompts for manual processes that you must perform in a specific order. The upgrade workflow doesn't let you proceed in the upgrade until each step has been completed. Before you begin the upgrade, review the steps carefully to be sure you understand the process.
You can't upgrade an SDDC and its hosts directly from version 6 to version 8. You must first upgrade from version 6 to version 7, then upgrade again from version 7 to version 8.
Prerequisites
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Check upgrade compatibility
Use the VMware Upgrade Path Interoperability Matrix to verify support for the upgrade path:- VMware ESXi: Upgrading from 7.0u3 to 8.0u2
- VMware vCenter Server: Upgrading from 7.0.3 to 8.0.2
- VMware NSX: Upgrading from 3.2.2 to 4.1.2
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Perform necessary backups
Before you upgrade, be sure that you have backups of all SDDC components. This step is crucial to restore configurations if the upgrade fails or if you have issues with any of the virtual machines (VMs). Backups provide the necessary restore points to address any issues that might arise during or after the upgrade process.
- SDDC components backup: Follow the VMware backup procedure documentation for vCenter Server Configuration, NSX Configuration, and vDS Switch Configuration Backup.
- ESXi host configuration Backup: Back up all the configuration of ESXi hosts in the SDDC.
- VM Backups: Use the backup tool you prefer to create backups of all VMs in the SDDC.
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Verify unified management cluster size
Verify that the management cluster is configured with at least four hosts. Having the correct number of hosts allows seamless upgrades and is especially important for NSX. If the cluster only has three hosts, consider adding a fourth host or manually managing VM migrations during the upgrade.
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Verify administrative privileges
Verify that you have the necessary administrative privileges within OCI, vCenter, NSX Manager, and HCX Manager. These permissions are required for managing SDDC resources, including hosts, clusters, network configurations, and datastores. For more information on configuring privileges for OCI VMware Solution, see Identity and Access Management (IAM) Policies.
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Verify environment compatibility
Verify that all VMware and third-party products in the environment are compatible and compliant with the new VMware version, verifying interoperability across all integrated systems.