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Chapter 6. Upgrading Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisors

6.1. Upgrading a Hypervisor with the Manager
6.2. Upgrading a Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor with local media
6.3. Re-installing Hypervisors with the Manager
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisors can be updated to get the latest features, bug fixes and security patches.

6.1. Upgrading a Hypervisor with the Manager

You can upgrade and reinstall a Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor host from an ISO image stored on the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager. Upgrading and reinstalling means that you are stopping and restarting the host. Virtual machines are automatically migrated to a different host, however it is recommended that the upgrade is performed at a time when usage of the system is at its lowest. Ensure that the cluster contains more than one host before performing an upgrade.
It is recommended that administrators update Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisors regularly. Important bug fixes and security updates are included in updates. Hypervisors which are not up to date may be a security risk.

Warning — Potential Data Loss

Upgrading Hypervisor hosts involves shutting down, deactivating guests, and restarting the physical server. If any virtual machines are running on the Hypervisor, all data and configuration details may be destroyed if they are not shut down. Upgrading Hypervisors must be carefully planned and executed with care and consideration.
Prerequisites
Before upgrading a Hypervisor:
  1. Download the latest Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor package from Red Hat Network. It is available at https://rhn.redhat.com/rhn/channels/PackageList.do?cid=12058. Install the package on the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager server.

Important — One Host Must Remain Active

Ensure that the cluster contains more than one host before performing an upgrade. Do not attempt to re-install or upgrade all the hosts at the same time, as one host must remain available to perform Storage Pool Manager (SPM) tasks.
Procedure 6.1. Upgrading a Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor
  1. Click the Hosts tab. A list of hosts displays. Select the host that you intend to upgrade.
    If the host is not displayed, or the list of hosts is too long to filter visually, perform a search to locate the host.
  2. On the Details pane, click the General Tab.
    An Alert Message indicates that a new version of the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Hypervisor is available. The Upgrade link is disabled if the host is has a status of Up. A tooltip directs you to switch to maintenance mode to enable upgrade.
  3. Select the host and click the Maintenance button. This will cause any VMs running on the host to be migrated to other hosts. If the host is the SPM, this function will be moved to another host. The status of the host changes as it enters maintenance mode. When the host status is Maintenance, the message in the general tab changes, providing you with a link which when clicked will re-install or upgrade the host.
  4. Click the link. The Install Host dialog displays.
  5. Select the appropriate file from the list of available ISOs to upgrade the host. This is usually rhev-hypervisor.iso.
  6. Click OK to upgrade and re-install the host. The dialog closes, the details of the host are updated in the Hosts tab, and the status changes appropriately.
    The host status transitions through the following stages: Installing, Reboot, Non Responsive, and Up. These are all expected, and each stage will take some time.
  7. Once successfully upgraded, the host displays a status of Up. Any virtual machines that were migrated off the host, are at this point able to be migrated back onto the upgraded host.