Resources for Your Next vSphere Upgrade

Take a closer look at the motivations, benefits, and process of upgrading to vSphere 7.

Take the Fastest Path to Modern Apps and Kubernetes Workloads

Build your hybrid cloud infrastructure faster with vSphere 7 and drop enterprise-grade Kubernetes into your existing infrastructure using vSphere with Tanzu.

Simplify Operations and Updates

Simplify lifecycle management for software, patching and firmware updates, and manage modern applications on an intrinsically secure hybrid cloud infrastructure. 

Reduce Complexity and Scale Without Compromise

Easily maintain configurations with new vSphere tools that increase flexibility and automation. Plus, deliver industry-leading scale and support 50% more hosts per cluster in the latest release.

Run AI/ML Workload Demands in Real-Time

Achieve higher device utilization and cost savings when you create a shared pool of GPUs.

DISCOVER MORE IN THE QUICKSTART GUIDE

Plan Your Upgrade

vSphere 6.0 End of Support

If you are still running vSphere 6.0, please be advised that End of General Support (EOGS) for vSphere 6.0 occurred on March 12, 2020.

READ THE DETAILS

vSphere Upgrade Planning

Learn about the vSphere Assessment Tool and other planning resources to assist you in your vSphere upgrade, from design and planning to execution.

EXPLORE TOOLS AND RESOURCES

vSphere Version Comparison

Compare the features and capabilities of vSphere 6.5, 6.7, and 7, from security and resource management to applications support.

VIEW THE DATASHEET

Top Ten Reasons to Upgrade to vSphere 7

Find out how to enable streamlined development, agile operations and accelerated innovation with the latest version of vSphere.

READ THE INFOGRAPHIC

How to Upgrade to vSphere 7, Step by Step

Step 1: Perform Discovery and Assessment

Evaluate the readiness of your vSphere environment and discover all components, along with their associated current and upgrade versions. The vSphere Assessment Tool makes it easy, online or offline.

Step 2: Outline Requirements for Hardware Decisions

Meet with key stakeholders and, using our product documentation, compile a list of requirements impacting the upgrade decision, such as SSO domain architecture or new features.

 

Step 3: Validate Product Compatibility

Ensure compatibility between all of the components previously discovered in Step 1 by referencing our interoperability matrices.

Step 4: Plan the Order of Your Upgrade

Visit our knowledge base to understand your upgrade sequence for vSphere and its supported products.

Step 5: Validate Your Upgrade

Verify the success of your upgrade. Follow a few of the health assessment steps you performed in the pre-upgrade check to make sure everything is still functioning as needed.

Licensing Upgrade Process

You must obtain new licenses to deploy vSphere 7. Existing vSphere 6.x licenses will not work on vSphere 7.

Upgrade Eligibility

Licenses will be upgraded to the new version according to these rules:

 

  • Only licenses, or portion of licenses, that have active support and subscription contracts as of the day when VMware vSphere 7 becomes generally available (in the following known as "the GA date") will be eligible for upgrade.
  • If a subscription has expired or will expire prior to the GA date you will retain access to any existing VMware vSphere licenses, but you will not be eligible to upgrade to VMware vSphere 7 license keys.
  • If your support and subscription has expired prior to the GA date, you can choose to reinstate it later. If you do so, you will be eligible to upgrade to VMware vSphere 7 licenses at that time.

Preparing for Your License Upgrade

To ensure a problem-free license upgrade, we request your cooperation in verifying that your license and subscription data are correct. Please take the time to review your account and contact Support [KK1] if the information is not consistent with your expectation. If corrections are needed, please make them prior to the delivery of your vSphere 7 licenses.

READ THE WHITE PAPER

How to Get vSphere 7 Licenses

How to Get vSphere 7 Licenses

To upgrade a product to the new version:
 
  • Log into My VMware using your VMware.com account credentials.
  • Go to Accounts > License Keys. Or, when you receive an alert for a subscription upgrade, click “Upgrade Licenses” in the alert. This will take you to the License Keys page.
  • Select “Upgrade License Keys” from the “I Want To” dropdown.
    Note: If no folders or products appear, you may not have permissions to upgrade license keys on any of the folders.
  • Select a folder from the folder list. All products that you are entitled to upgrade will be displayed. When you select a product, all of the licenses for that product will appear.
  • To filter the data, expand the filter and input the order number, contract number, license key or other search criteria, and click “Apply Filter.” The related product that is eligible for upgrade will be displayed in the results.
  • Enter the quantity of licenses to upgrade. You can select all or a few licenses.

The system deactivates your current license for you. New licenses are delivered in the same folder as the original license key. If any quantities of the current key remain un-upgraded, new licenses keys are generated for the remaining portion of the current product and will be displayed in the confirmation

How to Upgrade a License Key

The ability to upgrade a license key depends on:

 

  • The permissions associated with the folder where the license key sits.
  • Eligibility of license entitlement for a subscription upgrade (associated with the license key).
  • The date the new product version becomes available.

If you cannot upgrade, contact the Super User associated with that particular account or VMware Support.

Expected Timeframe to Receive License Keys

Upgrades will be available on the portal shortly after vSphere 7 becomes generally available. All license keys with active support and subscription contracts with an end date on or after General Availability are eligible for an upgrade.

Support

1. Review Your Support Contracts

  • Go to Support Contract History under Account after logging into My VMware and, using the same login, review your support contracts.
  • Review the status and end-dates of all contracts that contain vSphere 5.x and vCenter 5.x components.
  • If some contracts are expired or have an end-date before the General Availability (GA) date for vSphere 7, you will not be eligible to upgrade your licenses to VMware vSphere 7 for the quantities on those contracts.
  • To request a renewal or reinstatement of contracts, use the “Request Quote” button on the Support Contract Details page.

For additional questions related to licensing, contact Support.

2. Verify Your Role

Go to Account > User & Permissions after logging into My VMware and verify your permission on each of the folders.

The ability to upgrade a license key depends on:

 

  • The permissions associated with the folder where the license key sits.
  • Eligibility of license entitlement for subscription upgrade (associated the license key).
  • The date the new product version becomes available.
  • On the date a new version of a product becomes available, you will receive an alert that you are entitled to the new version of your current product. (see  above). The Super User of the account has the ability to grant and remove permissions on the folder.

Ready to Get Started?