Errors increasing CPU size w/ vSphere web client 6

[vipclubber]

I am having issues increasing CPUs using 6.0 Web client as opposed to vSphere host client.

This VM in question was moved from 5.5 vmware to 6.0 and is about 10.8 TB in size.

Another issue I'm having is understanding of what am I actually increasing in terms of CPU? Is it # of Socket, Cores or vCPUs?

Processor Sockets: 2

Cores per socket: 8

Logical processors: 32

Why not have 3 sockets instead of 2 and compensate with less cores or wise versa?

At the end of the day you can increase number of sockets or cores proportionately and still get the same result.

Can someone explain the CPU numbers to me?

web client is only allows me to increase CPUs based on logical processors with max of 32.

Also if I use vSphere client to change CPUs it allows me to change :

Number of virtual sockets: 2

Number of cores per socket: 2

but via web browser it shows:

Cores per socket: 1 which i can't change

and the only part I can modify are the 32 logical processors but get the following error which i don't get if i use host client. I have 14.6 tb datastore.

[vipclubber]

Can anybody help?

:smileycry:

[thecloudxpert]

From a host perspective:-

2 physical CPUs

8 cores per CPU = 16 physical Cores

+ Hyperthreading  = 32 logical Cores

You shouldn't really worry about logical cores, the 16 cores is the number you work against.

You need to sort out the Datastore issue before you worry about changing the CPUs.  I've never had that issue but it could be that the VM wont allow you to make changes because it hasn;t got enough storage so wont save the update.

You may also need to update the Virtual Machine Hardware and the VM Tools - your running Virtual Hardware 8 which is basically vSphere 5.0.

There is no massive performance benefit from having multiple sockets and cores in a VM (1 socket with 12 cores is basically the same as 2 sockets 6 cores). It is mainly around software licensing for applications running in the guest that is socket based.

Check out the following links

vSphere 6.0 Documentation Center

vSphere 6.0 Documentation Center

[vipclubber]

Thanks for explaining the vCPU proportions.

If 16 is the number I am working against what is the maximum recommended cores I can allocate for VM to keep things safe and stable? This is a media server which requires extra CPUs.

I can't increase the CPUs in vSphere web client because it throws an error BUT I can increase CPU in the vSphere regular client. Any ideas?

[thecloudxpert]

Have you tried upgrading the VM hardware to the latest version?

[vipclubber]

What do you mean by upgrading VM hardware?

[thecloudxpert]

Check out Upgrade the Compatibility for Virtual Machines or Upgrade Virtual Machine Compatibility by Using the VMware Host Client

[vipclubber]

So UPGRADE VM COMPATIBILITY only available on vCenter and not on the host?

What exactly upgrade VM compatibility will do?

In other words, will this actually upgrade from Version 8 to 9 etc?

[thecloudxpert]

vipclubber - the first link was how to do it in vCenter via the vSphere Web Client, the second was how to do it on the VMware Host Client directly on the ESXi Host

Check out the following link for information on the differences between the Hardware versions.

https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2051652

Upgrading compatibility will upgrade the Virtual Machine HW version

[vipclubber]

I am running eval version of ESXi 6.0U2 (until I install vCenter 6 new license) but I do NOT have UPGRADE HW option. Should eval version have all options enabled? Any ideas?

[RAJ_RAJ]

HI ,

If you don't have vCenter you may upgrade from ESXi Console .

Please follow below commands

vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms

vim-cmd vmsvc/upgrade vmid vmx-09

Below are the VM H/W version you have to choose .

vmx-08

vmx-09

vmx-10

vmx-11

[vipclubber]

1, What's the best way to upgrade HW: vCenter or command prompt or it's the same thing?

2. Do I have to shutdown VM prior to running command:  vim-cmd vmsvc/upgrade vmid vmx-09

3. I did run vmware tools upgrade but do I have to run Windows update prior using the above command or it has no effect?

4. Do I have to reboot the host after? It seems that command worked immediately and I see version 11 in VM settings right away.

5. Can I upgrade to version 13 even though i am on ESXi 6.0 version 11?

[RAJ_RAJ]

Hi,

1.What's the best way to upgrade HW: vCenter or command prompt or it's the same thing?

If you have vCenter you can do it through that else use from CLI  (If you have vCenter you can upgrade through update manager aswll)

2. Do I have to shutdown VM prior to running command:  vim-cmd vmsvc/upgrade vmid vmx-09

Yes you have to shut down

3. I did run vmware tools upgrade but do I have to run Windows update prior using the above command or it has no effect?

if the tools are out of date you can update prior to do H/W update .

Before doing this h/w upgrade activity recommended take a snapshot or backup .

4. Do I have to reboot the host after? It seems that command worked immediately and I see version 11 in VM settings right away.

No need of reboot because you are upgrading in offline mode .

5. Can I upgrade to version 13 even though i am on ESXi 6.0 version 11?

H/W 13 available on ESXI 6.5

Refer # https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1003746

[vipclubber]

After I have done all of the above I now have the following VMware Tools errors:

[thecloudxpert]

that isn't an error, that's just telling you to upgrade VMware tools.

[vipclubber]

BUT, the VM (Second image down) is showing that VMware Tools RUNNING (CURRENT) version.

Is that an error?

When I try to update by Right Click VM --> Guest --> Install/Upgrade VMware tools I only have two option:

1 Run REPAIR? It is not going to update the CURRENT.

2 REMOVE and Reinstall tools

Which option should I choose and are there any other suggestions?

[1an3]

>> If 16 is the number I am working against what is the maximum recommended cores I can allocate for VM to keep things safe and stable?

As many as it needs, without causing contention issues for other VMs on the host - keep an eye on CPU ready values for other VMs on that host.

[RAJ_RAJ]

Hi ,

Upgrading H/W will upgrade the virtual hardware and by doing this VM will get all new features supported by that H/W version  .

Lower version of H/W won't support new features of new esxi version , so you have to do upgrade the Virtual Machine HW

You can find the feature upgrade infor according to VM H/W and ESXi on below KB

Hardware features available with virtual machine compatibility settings (2051652) | VMware KB