How to Upgrade VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) from 5.1 to 5.2

Upgrading your VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) environment from version 5.1 to 5.2 ensures you have the latest features, enhancements, and security patches. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the upgrade process.

Note : To upgrade to VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2.x, the management domain must be at VMware Cloud Foundation 4.5 or higher. If your environment is at a version lower than 4.5, you must upgrade the management domain to 4.5 or later and then upgrade to 5.2.x.

Step 1: Pre-Upgrade Checks

• Run SDDC Manager Pre-checks:Perform Update Precheck in SDDC Manager and make sure its green .

• Validate Cluster Health: Ensure that your ESXi clusters are healthy with no critical alarms, vSAN health is green, and there are no NSX-T configuration issues.

• Only silence alerts if you know that they are incorrect. Do not silence alerts for real issues that require remediation.

• Backup SDDC Manager: Ensure that you have a current and verified backup of the SDDC Manager and all management components (vCenter, NSX-T Manager, etc.). This is critical in case you need to roll back.

• Snapshot VMs: Take snapshots of critical components, including:

  • vCenter Server

  • SDDC Manager

• Schedule Maintenance Windows: Schedule an appropriate maintenance window for the upgrade, as it might involve downtime for management components.

• Notify Stakeholders: Inform all stakeholders of the planned upgrade and any potential impact on the environment.

• Review VMware KBs: Check the VMware Knowledge Base (KB) for any known issues or bugs related to the VCF 5.1 to 5.2 upgrade. This can help you avoid common pitfalls.

Step 2: Download the Upgrade Bundle

• Log in to VMware Depot:

• Login to SDDC Manager -> Administration -> Online Depot -> Enter the Credentials .

• If the environment don't have internet connectivity to SDDC Manager , in this case we will have to download the bundles offline.

• Navigate to VCF Downloads:

• Login to SDDC Manager -> Lifecycle Management -> Bundle Management -> Search and Download "VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2" Bundle for SDDC Manager , Drift Bundle , NSXT , VC, ESXI , and ARIA Suite Lifecycle Manager (if applicable in your environment ) download the upgrade bundle.

Step 3: Perform the Upgrade

• Once all the Bundle are downloaded as per Step 2 . We now proceed for the upgrade . the Upgrade sequence is as blow

  Upgrade the components in the management domain in the following order:

  1. SDDC Manager and VMware Cloud Foundation services.

  2. VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle

  3. NSX Manager and NSX Global Managers (if applicable).

  4. vCenter Server.

  5. ESXi

• Login to SDDC Manager -> Workload Domain -> MGMT Domain -> Updates

• Under Updates -> Available Updates -> Select the target version

• Once you click confirm now it will show you the VCF 5.2 Bundle to be upgrade Just click Update Now ( Make sure all the precheck are green , taken snapshots of the SDDC , Backup as per VMware recommendation )

Step 4: Monitor the Upgrade

SDDC Manager upgrade Monitor :

After the SDDC Manager upgrade completed . Upgrade NSXT Manager and then upgrade vCenter and then Upgrade ESXI. (Note : in my case i didn't had ARIA suite in VCF so i don't have to upgrade that )

Step 5: Validate the Upgrade

• Verify Component Versions:

• Validate that all VCF services and applications are functioning correctly.

• Ensure that all components (vCenter Server, NSX, ESXi hosts) are running the expected versions post-upgrade. as per the VCF 5.2 BOM.