Upgrading to ESX 3.5 and VirtualCenter 2.5 Best Practices and Known issues when installing or upgrading VirtualCenter

The following are best practice procedures when upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5 and ESX Server 3.5:

To be done on VirtualCenter:

1. Backup your VirtualCenter database. VMware recommends detaching the database and copying it to somewhere safe.
2. Grant the System DSN user of the VirtualCenter Database db_owner privileges on the MSDB database as well as the VirtualCenter database.
3. Ensure that your ODBC System DSN is using the proper driver. You must have a SQL Server driver if your database is SQL 2000, and SQL Native Client driver if using SQL 2005.
4. Log in to your VirtualCenter server with a local Administrator account on your Windows system to run the installation, do not use a domain administrator or a domain account.
5. Perform the upgrade to VirtualCenter to 2.5 and ensure all your data is visible in VirtualCenter 2.5 after the upgrade.
6. Ensure no processes are running that conflict with the ports that VirtualCenter uses, such as IIS.
   

To be done on ESX Server host:

1. If there is a SAN connected to your ESX Server host detach the SAN before continuing with the upgrade.
2. Confirm that all the virtual machines are now migrated from the ESX Server host or powered down, and that ESX Server host is no longer part of an VMware High Availability or DRS cluster.
3. Download the newest version of the ESX operating system ISO image and burn it to CD.
4. Place the CD in the CD-ROM drive of the host and boot from the CD.
5. Install ESX Server 3.5 with a fresh install or upgrade.
   

Note: A fresh install wipes out all previous network configuration.

Via: http://kb.vmware.com

Known issues when installing or upgrading VirtualCenter

• VirtualCenter installation may error before completion.
• VirtualCenter installation fails to complete.
• Unable to complete VirtualCenter installation.
• VirtualCenter Web Service fails to Install.
• Unable to connect to the VirtualCenter remote database during the installation.
• Cannot install VirtualCenter Server with MSDE as the database.
• When upgrading the Oracle Database, an error message may indicate that database upgrade has failed.
• Bulk-logged option for SQL Server database needs to be enabled before upgrading.
• Database upgrade fails due to insufficient disk space.
• When upgrading from VirtualCenter 1.x to 2.0.1, the database upgrades can fail if the 1.x system has both an MSDE database and a production database.
• Administrative credentials are required for the Oracle and SQL database when installing or upgrading VirtualCenter.
• When you install Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition on a system where Microsoft SQL Native Client driver is present, the installation may fail with error.
• VirtualCenter Server installation fails or results in error if your system does not have MDAC 2.8 SP1 or later installed.
• Error message during installation: error 1603: error installing Windows installer engine.
• For SQL Server 2000, do not grant or revoke the System Administrators role to satisfy the database permission requirements when upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5.
• Upgrading VirtualCenter 1.4 using the unified installer with optional modules selected fails with an error.
• VirtualCenter database upgrade fails with an exception when a password that contains apostrophes or double quotes is used.
• Upgrades of VirtualCenter Server with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 database require the SQL Native Client ODBC driver.

VirtualCenter 2.5

When installing VirtualCenter 2.5, be aware of the following issues:

• Administrative Credentials Are Required for Oracle and SQL Database When Installing or Upgrading VirtualCenter (1003052).
• When You Install Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition on a System Where Microsoft SQL Native Client Driver Is Present, the Installation Might Fail with Error (1003076).
• VirtualCenter Server Installation Fails or Results in Error if Your System Does Not Have MDAC 2.8 SP1 or Later Installer (1003160).
• Error Message During Installation: error 1603: error installing Windows installer engine (1003036).

When upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5, be aware of the following issues:

• Always backup your database before you proceed with an upgrade process.
• For SQL Server 2000, Do Not Grant or Revoke the System Administrators Role to Satisfy the Database Permission Requirements When Upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5 (1003346).
• Upgrading VirtualCenter 1.4 Using the Unified Installer with Optional Modules Selected Fails with an Error (1003078).
• VirtualCenter Database Upgrade Fails with an Exception When a Password that Contains Apostrophes or Double Quotes Is Use (1003049).
• Upgrades of VirtualCenter Server With Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database Require SQL Native Client ODBC Driver (1003391).
• Permissions previously set in VirtualCenter may be lost after upgrading to VirtualCenter 2.5. These permissions need to be fixed manually.

These and other known issues can be found in the release notes. Read the release notes in full before attempting to install or upgrade to VirtualCenter 2.5.

Via: http://kb.vmware.com

Technorati-Tags: vmware, esx, vi 3.5, virtualcenter

Unable to access VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess if customized ports have been set

VIA: VMware Knowledge Base - View Document

Products: VMware VirtualCenter

Product Versions: VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x

Symptoms:

• When you try to log in to VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess when a custom HTTP port has been specified (whether during installation, before an upgrade, or after), the error Web service is unavailable is shown.

  
  

  

• When you try to log in to VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess when a custom Tomcat Webservice port has been specified (whether during installation, before an upgrade, or after), the error 503 Service Unavailable is shown.

  
  

  

• Changing the VMware Virtual Infrastructure ports worked prior to installation of (or upgrade to) VirtualCenter 2.5.

By default VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess uses several different ports when you connect. If a modification is made to the default ports that are used for VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess, the configuration is not properly saved and one (or both) of the errors above may be noticed when you try to connect.

To correct this behavior if a custom HTTP port has been specified:

1. Log in to the VirtualCenter Server as an administrator.

2. Click Start > Run.

3. Type services.msc.

4. Press Enter.

5. Stop the VMware VirtualCenter Server service.

6. Stop the VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess service.

7. Navigate to C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\tomcat\webapps\ui\WEB-INF\classes\

8. Make a copy of the proxy.properties file, and the login.properties file as a backup.

9. Open the proxy.properties file with a utility such as notepad.

10. Change the proxy.service.url = http://localhost:80/sdk parameter to proxy.service.url = http://localhost:<custom port>/sdk where <custom port> is the value of the port specified for VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess. This port must be the same as the HTTP port specified in Administration > VirtualCenter Management Server Configuration > Web Service.

11. Save and close the file.

12. Open the login.properties file with a utility such as notepad.

    
    

    Note: There is also a file called .login.properties, be sure to open the correct file.

    
    

13. Change the login.webServiceUrl.defaultValue = http://localhost/sdk parameter to login.webServiceUrl.defaultValue = http://localhost:<custom port>/sdk where <custom port> is the value of the port specified for VMware VirtualCenter WebAccess. This port needs to be the same as the HTTP port specified in Administration > VirtualCenter Management Server Configuration > Web Service.

14. Save and Close the file.

15. Navigate back to the services control panel and start the VMware VirtualCenter Server service

16. Start the VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess service.

To correct this behavior if a custom Tomcat Webservice port has been specified:

1. Log in to the VirtualCenter Server as an administrator.

2. Click Start > Run.

3. Type services.msc.

4. Press Enter.

5. Stop the VMware VirtualCenter Server service.

6. Stop the VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess service.

7. Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\

8. Make a copy of the proxy.xml file as a backup.

9. Open the proxy.xml file with wordpad.

10. Locate the following xml code, and change <custom port> to the correct port for the Tomcat Webservice:

    
    

    <e id="2">
    <_type>vim.ProxyService.LocalServiceSpec</_type>
    <serverNamespace>/ui</serverNamespace>
    <accessMode>httpsWithRedirect</accessMode>
    <port><custom port></port>
    </e>

    
    

11. Save and Close the file.

12. Navigate back to the services control panel and start the VMware VirtualCenter Server service

13. Start the VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess service.

When one (or both) of these changes have been made, log in to VMware Virtual Infrastructure WebAccess is successful.

This behavior is currently being investigated by VMware Support, a more permanent fix is expected in a future release of the product.

Technorati-Tags: vmware, VI 3.5, VC, virtual center, webaccess, customized ports