After you implement the Advanced Load Balancing for VMware Cloud Foundation validated solution, by using VMware or third-party components, enable upgrade and patching of the components that have been added to your VMware Cloud Foundation environment.

For information on the impact of performing life cycle management of the products in this validated solution on VMware Cloud Foundation and other validated solutions that might be deployed in your environment, refer to Performing Life Cycle Management Across Validated Solutions.

Upgrade Advanced Load Balancing for VMware Cloud Foundation

All upgrade related activity is managed and administered through the Controller cluster endpoint. Software update for NSX Advanced Load Balancer is handled through a single image file for both the Controllers and the Service Engines.

Note:

Only system upgrades allowed if the NSX Advanced Load Balancer is setup in the basic license tier. For flexible upgrades, enterprise license tier is required.

Prerequisites

  • Deploy the VMware NSX Advanced Load Balancer on the Advanced Load Balancing for VMware Cloud Foundation.

  • Have a my.vmware.com customer portal account. This is used to access NSX Advanced Load Balancer upgrade and patch images.

Procedure

  1. Take a local backup of the configuration before upgrading or patching.

    1. In a Linux shell, SSH to the Controller cluster VIP by using [email protected].

    2. Specify the NSX Advanced Load Balancer CLI by executing shell –user admin –password <ENTER_PASSWORD>.

    3. Create a configuration backup by executing the following CLI commands:

    export configuration file /tmp/upgrade_backup.json full_system 
Please enter the passphrase to encrypt configuration: <ENTER A PASSPHRASE> 
Retype passphrase: <RE-ENTER THE PASSPHRASE>

    A full system configuration backup is be available at the specified location, i.e. ‘/tmp/upgrade_backup.json’.

  2. Download the required upgrade or patch image from my.vmware.com customer portal.

    1. Follow this KB article to access NSX Advanced Load Balancer images.

      Note:

      The steps mentioned in the KB article are valid for upgrade and patch images as well. The KB article describes steps for downloading the install image.

    2. Click on the specific version to be downloaded.

      Note:

      Patch releases are suffixed by the patch release number, for instance, 20.1.4-2p5 where 2p5 is the patch.

    3. For upgrade images navigate to the Upgrade section and under VMware / OpenStack / AWS / KVM / CSP.

      1. Click on the download icon.

      2. Accept the EULA and click CONTINUE to start download of the upgrade image.

    4. For patch images navigate to the ‘system’ section.

      1. Click the download icon.

      2. Accept the EULA and click on CONTINUE to start download of the patch image.

  3. Upload the required upgrade or patch image to the Controller cluster.

    1. In a web browser, log in to the Controller cluster VIP by using https://sfo-m01-avic01.sfo.rainpole.io/

    2. Navigate to Administration > Controller > Software  and click on Upload From Computer.

    3. Select the upgrade or patch image file that was download and click on Open.

    4. Wait until the image upload is complete.

  4. Perform a Full System update for the NSX Advanced Load Balancer.

    1. In a web browser, log in to the Controller cluster VIP by using https://sfo-m01-avic01.sfo.rainpole.io/.

    2. Navigate to  Administration > Controller > System Update.

    3. Choose the uploaded file and click on UPGRADE.

    4. Select Upgrade All Service Engine Groups.

    5. Select Suspend for ACTION TO TAKE ON SEG UPDATE FAILURE.

    6. Click on Continue and then click on Confirm.

    7. Progress can be tracked via the In Progress section in the Administration > Controller > System Update page.

    8. Wait until the upgrade or patch is complete.

  5. Perform a Separate Control and Data Plane update for the NSX Advanced Load Balancer – Part I (the Controllers Only).

    1. In a web browser, log in to the Controller cluster VIP by using https://sfo-m01-avic01.sfo.rainpole.io/.

    2. Navigate to Administration > Controller > System Update.

    3. Choose the uploaded file and click on UPGRADE.

    4. Un-select on Upgrade All Service Engine Groups.

    5. Click on Continue and then click on Confirm.

    6. Progress can be tracked via the In Progress section in the Administration > Controller > System Update page.

    7. Wait until the upgrade or patch is complete.

  6. Perform a Separate Control and Data Plane update for the NSX Advanced Load Balancer – Part II (The Srtvice Engines Only).

    1. In a web browser, log in to the Controller cluster VIP by using https://sfo-m01-avic01.sfo.rainpole.io/.

    2. Navigate to Administration > Controller > SEG Update.

    3. Select the Service Engine Groups to be upgraded or patched and click on .UPGRADE.

    4. Select the System or Patch check box as appropriate and click on Next.

    5. Select Suspend for ACTION TO TAKE ON SEG UPDATE FAILURE.

    6. Click on Continue and then click on Confirm.

    7. Progress can be tracked via the In Progress section in the Administration > Controller > SEG Update page.

    8. Wait until the upgrade or patch is complete.

  7. Perform a Rollback for the NSX Advanced Load Balancer.

    1. In a web browser, log in to the Controller cluster VIP by using https://sfo-m01-avic01.sfo.rainpole.io/.

    2. Navigate to Administration > Controller > System Update.

    3. Select ROLLBACK and click on the previous version.

    4. Select Rollback All Service Engine Groups.

    5. Click on Continue and then click on Confirm.

    6. Progress can be tracked via the In Progress section in the Administration > Controller > System Update page.

    7. Wait until the rollback is complete.