Back-in-time vSphere and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) releases can be a little confusing in the context of upgrades. This occurs when the source version, such as vSphere 8.0 Update 3j or VCF 5.4.2, was released AFTER the target version you are upgrading to, such as VCF 9.1.
Today, there are three supported paths to the latest VCF 9.1 release:
- Upgrade an existing VCF deployment to a VCF 9.1 Fleet
- Converge an existing vSphere-based (non-VCF) deployment into a new VCF 9.1 Fleet
- Import an existing vSphere-based (non-VCF) deployment into an existing VCF 9.1 Fleet
The table below summarizes the latest supported back-in-time release compatibility for each of these deployment scenarios.
| Source Version | Target Version | Upgrade | Converge | Import |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vSphere 8.0U3-8.0U3i | VCF 9.1.0 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| vSphere 8.0 U3j | VCF 9.1.0 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| VCF 5.2.0-5.2.3 | VCF 9.1.0 | ✅ | N/A | N/A |
| VCF 5.2.4 | VCF 9.1.0 | ❌ | N/A | N/A |
While this is not unique to VCF and applies to most software versioning schemes, it is an important consideration to be aware of when planning a path to the latest VCF software release.
Upgrade/Converge
Support for back-in-time releases in the Upgrade and Converge workflows is planned for a future VCF 9.1.x patch release, enabling customers running the latest supported vSphere or VCF releases to upgrade directly to the latest supported VCF 9.1 release. In the meantime, we have made several improvements to help customers better understand the impact of back-in-time releases when planning their upgrade.
Improved vSphere Release Notes
For back-in-time vSphere releases that have upgrade implications, we have added release note guidance, like the example below for vSphere 8.0 Update 3j, to help customers understand any impact as they review the release notes.
Upgrade from vCenter 8.0 Update 3j to vCenter 9.1.0 or any EP based on 9.1.0 is not supported. Forward upgrade path to 9.x will be available in the future 9.x patch release.
Improved Interoperability Matrix
The Interop Matrix is typically the first place customers go to verify compatibility. In the past, back-in-time vSphere releases were not clearly represented, often appearing as blank entries that left users to interpret their meaning. We have recently updated the Interoperability Matrix to explicitly identify vSphere releases that do not have a supported upgrade path by displaying an X along with additional details when you hover over the entry (here is a shortcut link to the vCenter Server compatibility search results).
Import
While environments running vSphere 8.0 Update 3j cannot be upgraded directly to VCF 9.1, that does not mean they cannot be managed by a VCF 9.1 Fleet and benefit from its Fleet Management capabilities. This is where the Import workflow comes into play.
The Import workflow is not an upgrade operation. It simply brings an existing vSphere-based (non-VCF) deployment under the management of an existing VCF 9.1 Fleet, allowing the environment to remain on its current version until you can or choose to upgrade. The minimum supported version for Import into VCF 9.1 is vSphere 8.0 Update 3a or later, which includes the latest vSphere 8.0 Update 3j release because it is part of the same major and minor release family.
Beyond centralized lifecycle management and visibility, a vSphere 8.0 Update 3 environment managed by a VCF 9.1 Fleet can also take advantage of ESX certificate and password management. Because these capabilities now reside within the Fleet Management functionality of VCF Operations rather than SDDC Manager, they are available for imported vSphere environments without requiring an upgrade to vSphere 9.1.
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