With all the new goodies in 6.6, especially the new HTML5 UI based on the Clarity design System, who can resist the upgrade to vROPS 6.6. Release notes for everything that is new can found here.

From an upgrade standpoint, vROPS has always been an interesting, but simple process with both the OS and application that requires separate updates.  The OS update is required for update RPMs for things like database and gemfire updates that the new vROPS application relies on.  My step by step upgrade guide below:

1. Download the OS update and Product update files from my.vmware.com
   • OS PAK file:  vRealize_Operations_Manager-VA-OS-xxx.pak
   • Application PAK file:  vRealize_Operations_Manager-VA-xxx.pak
2. Make sure that all the solutions you have installed has a version available that is compatible with the new vROPS release.
3. If you customized any default alert definitions, symptom, recommendations, Policy Definitions, Views, Dashboards, Widgets and Reports in the previous version, make sure you clone it first.  When you upgrade vROPS, it is important that you upgrade the current versions of content types that allow you to alert on and monitor the objects in your environment.  It is a good practice to always clone first before customizing content.
4. Before starting the upgrade, create a snapshot of the each of the nodes in the cluster.
   1. Login to vROPS admin
   2. Under system status click Take Offline
   3. Enter reason and click OK
   4. When Cluster status shows offline for all nodes, go ahead and take a snapshot of each
5.  Before starting the upgrade, I also recommend taking a backup of all the nodes simultaneously by using your existing backup solution.
6. First off we will update the Virtual Appliance OS:
   1. Login to the master vROPS node administrator interface
      • https://vrops.fqdn/admin
   2. Select Software Update
   3. Click Install a Software Update
   4. Browse the OS update PAK file
      • vRealize_Operations_Manager-VA-OS-xxx.pak
   5. Check the box “Reset Default Content”
      • As mentioned above make sure you have cloned all your customized content!
   6. Click Upload
   7. When completed click Next
   8. Accept EULA click Next
   9. Click Next
   10. Click Install
   11. This will update the OS on the Virtual Appliances and restart them.
7. Secondly we will perform the vROPS product update:
   1. Login to the master vROPS node administrator interface
      • https://vropsmaster.fqdn/admin
   2. Select Software Update
   3. Click Install a Software Update
   4. Browse the application update PAK file
      • vRealize_Operations_Manager-VA-xxx.pak
   5. Check the box “Reset Default Content”
      • As mentioned above make sure you have cloned all your customized content!
   6. Click Upload
   7. This will update the vROPS application on the Virtual Appliances
8. Lastly, if you have any additional content packs installed, go ahead and upgrade them.

VMware is definitely making awesome improvements in all their products and has come a long way in helping out VMware admins with their daily management tasks.