i hope this helps anyone needing to do the same upgrade i just completed - i saw quite a few people posting questions about it, and not a lot of solid answers (and *definitely* not simple processes in the answers!). i just completed an upgrade from vCenter 4.1 using sql express 2005 to vCenter 5.0 using sql 2008 r2 express and think this is the most simple solution out there. i take no responsibility for any problems you may run into while using these instructions, but here are the steps i followed:
1. took a snapshot of my vCenter server (yes, it is running as a virtual machine, and i wanted to be able to roll it back if the upgrade failed)
2. took backup of sql 2005 express db using the commandline:
- stop the VMware VirtualCenter Server service in the service control panel
- open a command prompt (with elevated permissions if on server 2008 or 2008 r2)
- run this command:
sqlcmd -S localhost\SQLEXP_VIM -E
- then run this command:
BACKUP DATABASEVIM_VCDB TODISK = "C:\Temp\VIM.bak"WITHNOFORMAT, INIT, NAME= "VCENTER", SKIP,NOREWIND, NOUNLOAD, STATS = 10
- then run this command:
GO
- then run this command:
EXIT
- verify that the backup was saved in c:\temp
- **NOTE** i think there was a separate database for vSphere update manager, but i didn't back that up because i didn't care about preserving it
3. uninstall vSphere and any other other VMWare software related to it
4. uninstall any SQL software on the machine
5. install sql 2008 r2 express 64bit with the management tools (you will need sql server management studio)
- i installed it in mixed mode to keep my options open
- name the instance SQLEXP_VIM
- set a strong sa password
- after the installation is complete, open sql server management studio and connect to your newly created instance on the local machine (the connection string i had to use was localhost\SQLEXP_VIM
- In sql server mgmt studio, right-click the databases folder and create a new database called VIM_VCDB (i didn't change any options when i created it)
- using the steps in the vsphere upgrade guide on page 44-45, restore the backup database, overwriting the new database you just created:
~ Right-click icon for the database just created (VIM_VCDB) and select Task > Restore > Database
~ Select From Device and click Browse
~ Click Add, navigate to the backup file created in step 2 above, and click OK
~ In the Restore Database window, select the .bak file check box
~ On the Options page, select the Overwrite the existing database check box and click OK.
- create an ODBC DSN for the new database:
~ Select Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Data Sources (ODBC)
~ select the System DSN tab
~ click Add
~ choose SQL Server Native Client and click Finish
~ name it whatever you want to (i called mine vcenter)
~ give it a description if you want to
~ for the server, enter localhost\SQLEXP_VIM
~ use the defaults for the rest of the screens, and test it at the end
~ you'll then end up with an entry in the System DSN section with the name that you gave it
6. Install the Microsoft JDBC driver 3.0 (http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=28562) using instructions from here: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2006642
7. Install vCenter, noting that you have an existing database.
again, i hope this helps, it all went smootly for me.
wally