VMware ESXi is a hypervisor that enables the creation and management of virtual machines (VMs) on a physical server. ESXi 6.7 and 7.0 are two major releases with various improvements and new features. Here are some of the key differences between ESXi 6.7 and 7.0:
These are some of the major differences between ESXi 6.7 and 7.0. Each version comes with its own set of improvements and enhancements to better support the ever-evolving IT landscape.
VMware vSphere 7.0, released in 2020, brought significant advancements in performance, security, and Kubernetes integration. As with all software products, it has an end-of-life date, which marks the point when the vendor discontinues support for the product. The end of general support (EOGS) for vSphere 7.0 is scheduled for October 15, 2026. After this date, VMware will no longer provide technical assistance or software updates for vSphere 7.0, encouraging users to upgrade to a more recent version to ensure continued support and access to the latest features and enhancements.
As a technical IT professional, it is essential to carefully plan and execute an upgrade from ESXi 6.7 to 7.0 to ensure minimal downtime and maintain the stability of your virtual environment. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to upgrade your ESXi 6.7 host to 7.0:
Before starting the upgrade process, make sure your hardware and software components are compatible with ESXi 7.0. Check the VMware Compatibility Guide to verify your hardware is supported. Additionally, review the release notes and product documentation for any known issues and prerequisites.
Create backups of your virtual machines (VMs) and configurations, as well as snapshots of the current ESXi host. This step ensures you have a fallback option in case something goes wrong during the upgrade process.
If your ESXi host is managed by a vCenter Server, you must first upgrade the vCenter Server to version 7.0. This is because vCenter Server 7.0 is required to manage ESXi 7.0 hosts.
Before upgrading the host, ensure that all running VMs are either powered off or migrated to other hosts in the cluster using vMotion. Afterward, put the ESXi host into maintenance mode.
Visit the VMware website and download the ESXi 7.0 offline bundle. This file contains the necessary components for the upgrade.
Using the vSphere Client, upload the downloaded offline bundle to a datastore accessible by the ESXi host you want to upgrade.
Enable SSH on the ESXi host, and then use an SSH client (e.g., PuTTY) to connect to the host. You will need the host's IP address and valid credentials to log in.
Run the following command to upgrade the ESXi host, replacing "your_datastore" with the appropriate datastore name and "offline_bundle.zip" with the actual filename:
esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/your_datastore/offline_bundle.zip
Wait for the command to complete. It may take several minutes.
After the upgrade is complete, reboot the host with the following command:
reboot
Once the host has rebooted and is running ESXi 7.0, exit maintenance mode.
Using the vSphere Client, verify that the ESXi host is running version 7.0 and that all hardware components and VMs are functioning correctly.
Upgrade VMware Tools and VM hardware compatibility to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with the new ESXi version.
By following these steps, you can successfully upgrade your ESXi 6.7 host to version 7.0. Remember to perform the upgrade in a controlled environment, test thoroughly, and have a rollback plan in place to minimize potential disruptions.