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La nuova versione VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 2 è stata annunciata alcune settimane fa, ma non era ancora disponibile, come purtroppo è accaduto con le le versioni precedenti… nonostante questo vi sono stati diversi post a decantarne tutte le funzionalità (nonostante non fosse possible provarle o verificarle)…

Ma ora finalmente VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 2 è disponibile in general available (GA) e soprattutto è possibile scaricarlo e provarlo!

Partiamo subito dicendo che questa nuova versione è un salto enorme e chiamarla solo una update release è troppo limitante e riduttivo… Si tratta quasi di una versione 6.8 visto le notevoli differenze che ci sono con la VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 1 (rilasciata ad Ottobre 2018).

Per fortuna, sembra che non ci siano troppe differenze per i programmi di terze parti, ad esempio non abbiamo i problemi di compatibilità che si sono verificati con Veeam Backup & Replication and vSphere 6.7 Update 1.
Notare che Veeam Backup & Replication 9.5 Update 4a è già compatibile con vSphere 6.7U2.

Per maggiori informazioni (in inglese) vedere anche:

VMware vSphere remains the foundation of VMware strategy

Questo nuovo update semplificherà il processo di aggiornamento, rendendo più facile la gestione delle diverse build di VMware vSphere (a meno che non vengano rilasciati nuovi aggiornamenti per le versioni 6.0 e 6.5), visto che ad oggi alcune build version non erano aggiornabili alla 6.7U1.

Ma ricordatevi che comunque si tratta di una nuova versione. Bisogna pianificare attentamente il processo di update o upgrade, controllando tutte la diverse compatibilità hardware e software prima di iniziare!

Ad esempio, per VMware vSAN la maggior parte dei controller non sono ancora stati validati per vSphere 6.7U2, quindi controllate l’HCL e aspettate di aggiornare se la compatibilità hardware non è ancora aggiornata!

Per maggiori informazioni sul processo di upgrade, il post che avevo scritto (VMware vSphere 6.7 upgrade notes) per la versione 6.7 Update 1, rimane ancora valido anche per le Update 2.

VMware vCenter Server 6.7U2

The new VMware vCenter 6.7 Update 2 includes serveral updates and improvements:

  • vCenter reccomended topologies – as already announced, with vSphere 6.7 Update 2, VMware has deprecated the external PSCs topology and now warnings are visible in the vCenter Server Appliance installer UI or CLI. Please see KB 60229 for more details. . With VMware vCenter Server enhanced link mode introduced in vSphere 6.7, is possible to connect up to fifteen (15) vCenter Server instances in the embedded PSC topology, eliminating the need of external load balancers and simplifying the overall architecture and the lifecycle management of it. Also vCenter Server 6.7 Update 2 includes a brand new System Configuration interface. Within this updated view you are now able to see information on nodes that are within your vCenter Server Single-Sign On (SSO) Domain. You can see information such as the Load Balancers, External PSCs and vCenter Servers.  Information about your environment such as the health, type, version, uptime and replication partners is also available within this updated section.
  • vCenter Server Converge Tool enhancements – In vCenter Server 6.7 Update 2 within the table view you will see two new buttons, the ability to Converge to Embedded and Decommission PSC direcly from the GUI. You no longer are required to utilize the CLI and JSON templates to run the vCenter Server Converge Tool. One additional benefit when running the Converge Tool through the vSphere Client, is that if you have internet access we will automatically download any needed components from the VMware Online Repository. For more information see also Understanding the vCenter Server Converge Tool
  • Improvement in vCSA Backup and Restore – vCenter Server 6.7 Update 2 includes new protocol support for backing up and restoring a vCSA by adding (finally) Network File System (NFS) and Samba (SMB). Another improvement to File-Based Backup is the introduction of Event Notifications for backup & restore. 
  • New vSphere Health – vSphere Health works to identify and resolve potential issues within a customer’s environment. It works quite similaty on how vSAN Health was designed for. Telemetry data (if you enable CEIP) are collected analyzed from the vSphere environment and used to guide the vSphere Administrator through remediation. For more information see Understanding vSphere Health & Tech Field Day 18.

VMware vSphere 6.7U2 maximums

There are new VM configuration maximums in vSphere 6.7 Update 2 to have up to 256 vCPUs and 6TB of vRAM enable customers to virtualize database intensive applications such as SAP HANA.

This means, for the first time in an update release, a new virtual hardware version: VMware vSphere 6.7 Update adds the new virtual hardware 15 version!

Customer demand for compute intensive workloads such as SAP HANA has driven this new version.

Note that you should only upgrade your VM Compatibility to v15 if you need these new configuration maximums: at present these are not supported on VMware Cloud on AWS and in some other products.

For mroe information see the vSphere Configuration Maximums.

VMware VMware Tools 10.3.10

The new Update 2 version, brings a new version of VMware Tools: the 10.3.10 version.

This release includes updates to the Open Source components glib, openssl and libxml2. It also includes a security fix for the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver.

See also VMware Tools version in vSphere 6.5 and 6.7.

VMware vSphere 6.7U2 Platinum

Of course, this means also a new updated version of VMware vSphere Platinum.

There are several new capabilities to AppDefense with this release, delivering increased application visibility and enhanced security lifecycle management. New scope level dashboards provide a real-time snapshot of application health and an overview of the security validation checks performed. 

VMware vSphere ROBO Enterprise

There is a new vSphere Remote Office Branch Office Enterprise (ROBO-ENT) as the highest end edition of vSphere Remote Office Branch Office, an efficient and secure platform for your remote sites and branch offices. 

It includes all the features of the ROBO Advanced license with the added features of VM encryption and DRS in Maintenance Mode (DRS-MM).

VMware vSphere ROBO SKU

For more information see: Introducing vSphere ROBO Enterprise with DRS-MM.

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