You can upgrade a vCenter Server for Windows instance with an embedded or external vCenter Single Sign-On to a vCenter Server Appliance instance with an embedded Platform Services Controller.

When you upgrade a vCenter Server instance with an embedded vCenter Single Sign-On on Windows, you upgrade the entire deployment at the same time.

Figure 1. vCenter Server 5.5 with Embedded vCenter Single Sign-On Before and After Upgrade

vCenter Server 5.5 on Windows with embedded vCenter Single Sign-On before and after upgrading to vCenter Server 6.5 with embedded Plaform Services Controller 6.5

Figure 2. vCenter Server 5.5 with External vCenter Single Sign-On Before and After Upgrade

vCenter Server 5.5 on Windows with external vCenter Single Sign-On before and after upgrade to vCenter Server 6.5 with embedded Plaform Services Controller 6.5

Upgrade tasks:

  1. Download and Mount the vCenter Server Appliance Installer
  2. Assemble the Required Information for Upgrading vCenter Server on Windows.
  3. Upgrade a vCenter Server 5.5 Installation with an Embedded vCenter Single Sign-On or Upgrade vCenter Single Sign-On 5.5 on Windows.
Important: Concurrent upgrades of vCenter Server instances with embedded vCenter Single Sign-On or Platform Services Controller are not supported. You must upgrade the instances in a sequence.