VMware vSphere 6.0 has been released some time ago now; the first .0 version bugs are being patched and the compatibility matrix is filling up quickly. Is it time to move? Yes. VMware vSphere 6.0 has many new features and scalability properties that make it interesting for existing (refresh) and new environments. Especially if your starting point is before 5.5.
Let’s highlight some of the reasons you can choose to upgrade to vSphere 6.0:
• Grid vGPU support in Horizon (with combination of Horizon 6.1)
• New Hardware support, the latest chip sets, devices and guest os.
• Virtual Volumes (VVOL’s).
• New and improved VSAN. Two tier read-intensive or write intensive flash configuration, 64 hosts clusters and fault domain support.
• New vMotion works across tradition logical and physical boundaries (vCenter to vCenter migrations) if all requirements are satisfied.
• New FT support, supporting up to 4vCPU’s. This can be used for protecting business critical application components.
• New scalability support, increased limits for hosts, VM’s and vCenter Server Appliance.
• Improved speed of the vSphere Web Client.
• Improved vCenter Architecture; VMware Platform Services Controller Introduced. The PSC contains common infrastructure services such as vCenter Single Sign-On, VMware certificate authority, licensing, and server reservation and registration services.
• New Content Library, which aims to help collect and organize ISO images, templates, vApps, scripts, etc. in one easy-to-find location
Like each new version you will have to make some considerations and get yourself familiar with the upgrade procedure and new features. This can take some time (vSphere 6.0 has one of the longest release notes), and a test/dev strategy before hitting production with all these new and fancy features. Don’t forget all the systems that interact with the vSphere infrastructure, for example identity sources, backup, VDI brokers, hardware and even VMware’s own products should be checked (start with interoperability matrix) and matched with vSphere 6.0. Preferably some learned lessons report of a previous project will help to gain insight in what interoperability in your environment looks like.
ITQ can help you with analysis, planning and doing the upgrade or new implementations of vSphere 6.0 and the components, for any or all project phases! And as we do these kinds of projects at a lot of customer environments, we can apply our best practices and lessons learned and convert them to a direct success for your project. Let us help your organization to get to the next level.
