This is an additional post up to my previously released Update Guide and Upgrade Guide with new topics regarding the upgrade to VxRail Version 8.0.xxx. I will add items to this post as soon as there is something new and meaningful.

// (3rd party) Solution Compatibility & Interoperability

Backup
Backup is always the first and most important software that must be mandatory compatible!

vRealize Log Insight aka Aria Operations for Logs
Log Insight is not part of VxRail 8.x bundle
– VMware has stopped offering this limited version of LogInsight
Bundled version of LogInsight was limited
– Can only be used with that single cluster
– Not fully featured
Customer experience impact
– If upgrading cluster to vSphere 8.0, check VMware support matrix on whether LogInsight upgrade to 8.0 is required
– Upgrading LogInsight to 8.0 requires a separate license purchase from VMware
– If existing LogInsight can remain on current version, no license purchase is required

RecoverPoint
RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines is (currently) not supported on vSphere 8.0. Do not upgrade to VxRail 8.0.000 if you are using RecoverPoint for Virtual Machines.

SmartFabric Services (SFS)
If you are running SmartFabric Services (SFS) with VxRail, you should not upgrade to VxRail 8.0.000. Wait for later versions and supported migration paths.

// Hardware Compatibility

TPM 1.2
VMware has discontinued support for Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 in VMware vSphere 8.0. VxRail does not allow the upgrade for clusters containing nodes with active TPM 1.2 modules. In order to upgrade to VxRail 8.0, disable TPM 1.2 or replace the TPM 1.2 modules with TPM 2.0. TPM 1.2 can be disabled to perform the upgrade, provided TPM is not in use by VMware features, like secure boot. See the VxRail VxRail TPM and Secure Boot Tech Note for instructions to disable TPM.
If your environment requires the continued use of secure boot with TPM 2.0, you should not upgrade at this time

Dell VxRail: Clusters with nodes that have an active TPM 1.2 module will fail the LCM pre-check when upgrading to 8.0.x release
Dell VxRail: Upgrade TPM from 1.2 to 2.0 before LCM VxRail cluster to 8.0.x release
Summary: vSphere 8.0 doesn’t support TPM1.2. This KB is mainly for customer who has TPM1.2 enabled cluster and wants to complete the VxRail 8.0 upgrade with TPM2.0 modules.
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000204703

Disable an active TPM 1.2 module permanently or upgrade from an active TPM 1.2 module to a TPM 2.0 module by temporarily disabling the TPM 1.2 module. No reimaging required.
This article describes two methods of handling nodes with active TPM 1.2 modules. You can either disable the active TPM 1.2 module permanently or upgrade from the active TPM 1.2 module to a TPM 2.0 module by temporarily disabling the TPM 1.2 module before the upgrade
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/de-de/000207726/dell-vxrail-tpm1-2-to-2-0-upgrade-after-disabling-tpm-1-2

Upgrade from an active TPM 1.2 module to a TPM 2.0 module without temporarily disabling the TPM 1.2 module. Reimaging the nodes through a professional service engagement will be required.
This article guides you through handling an active TPM 1.2 module by upgrading from an active TPM 1.2 module to a TPM 2.0 module without temporarily disabling the active TPM 1.2 module. Reimaging the nodes through a professional service engagement will be required as part of this procedure
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/de-de/000207727/dell-vxrail-tpm1-2-to-2-0-upgrade-in-vxrail-cluster-that-has-activated-tpm1-2-and-enabled-secure-boot
-Browse to https:///mob/?moid=&doPath=capability
-Check the tpmVersion on this page
▪ If the value is Unset, the TPM Module is disabled on the host. This KB is not required.
▪ If the value is 2.0, the TPM Module is active and at a supported version for vSphere 8.0. This KB is not required.
▪ If the value is 1.2, the TPM Module is active. If you do not want to temporarily turn off this module, continue to the next step of this KB.

13G Nodes
Only clusters with VxRail nodes based on either the 14th generation or 15th generation PowerEdge servers can upgrade to vSphere 8, because VMware has removed support for a legacy BIOS driver used by 13th generation PowerEdge servers (like VxRail E460/F, P470/F, V470/F, S470):
https://infohub.delltechnologies.com/p/learn-about-the-latest-major-vxrail-software-release-vxrail-8-0-000/

Quanta Nodes
VxRail based on the Quanta hardware platform and VxRail E460/F, P470/F, S470, V470 are not supported for VxRail 8.0.000.

GPU
Due to limited availability of GPU drivers for VMware ESXi 8.0, the GPU will be validated post-VxRail 8.0.000 release. Clusters with GPUs should not be upgraded to VxRail 8.0.000 until they are confirmed.

DPU
DPUs are not supported in VxRail version 8.0.000. Support is starting at 8.0.010 for a few DPUs.

// Other Specialties to consider

vCenter local OS users
vSphere 8.0 does not support local OS user and group accounts used in VxRail-managed vCenter deployments.
Users will need to use vCenter-managed domain account as a replacement
– Example:
Changes in VxRail cluster deployment
– For local vCenter Server, VxRail will create the account
– For external vCenter Server, user needs to enter a valid domain account
Changes in VxRail cluster update to VxRail 8.0
– Before the update, pre-check will check whether a vCenter-managed domain account is used
▪ If yes, VxRail Manager database and lockbox will be updated
▪ If no and it’s a local vCenter Server, VxRail will create it and update its database and lockbox
▪ If no and it’s an external vCenter Server, the operation fails out with an KB article to show how to resolve issue

If you have read up to this point, I hope my article was helpful to you. Feel free to share if you like…

// footnotes:

Date: 04.04.2023
Version: 1.0