VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2 Released !!!

VMware released vSphere 5.5 update 2. Now available from vmware site. There are few additional feature and 100 plus bug fixes from vsphere 5.5 update 1 version.

This is a minor update, but with some important support database update. it’s great to see SQL server 2014 now supported.

SRM 5.8 requires vCenter 5.5 update 2.so whenever SRM 5.8 comes out be sure to upgrade your vCenter prior to deployment.

Vsphere 5.5 update 2 also allow the “legacy” vsphere client to modify some properties (RAM,change network port group, remove devices , vCPU , Mount ISO , increase disk space, reservertions, edit advanced settings) of Hardware v10 VMs.

What's New in VMware ESXi 5.5 update 2 ?

• Support for hosts with 6TB of RAM – vSphere 5.5 Update 2 starts to support hosts with 6TB of RAM.

• VMware vShield Endpoint Thin Agent is renamed as VMware Tools Guest Introspection plugin – The vShield Endpoint driver bundled with VMware Tools is now called Guest Introspection.

• Resolved Issues: Take a look at the list of  Resolved issues  with the release of  VMware ESXi 5.5 Update 2

• vCenter Server database support: vCenter Server now supports the following external databases:   Oracle 12c. (Important: For pre-requisite requirements, see KB 2079443),  Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1  &  Microsoft SQL Server 2014.

• vCloud Hybrid Service: The vCloud Hybrid Service (vCHS) introduces a new container, Hybrid Cloud Service, on the vSphere Web Client home page. The Hybrid Cloud Service container contains the vCHS installer and the new vCloud Connector installer.

• Customer Experience Improvement Program: The vSphere customer experience improvement program is introduced to collect configuration data for vSphere and transmit weekly to VMware for analysis in understanding the usage and improving the product.

• Resolved Issues: Take a look at the list of Resolved issues  with the release of VMware vCenter 5.5 Update 2.

Product support Notices

• vSphere Web Client: Starting with vSphere 5.5 Update 2, Windows XP and Windows Vista are not supported as vSphere Client Operating System. You can find the complete list of operating system supported by vSphere Web Client in the VMware Compatibility Guide.

• vSphere Web Client: Because Linux platforms are no longer supported by Adobe Flash, vSphere Web Client is not supported on the Linux OS. Third party browsers that add support for Adobe Flash on the Linux desktop OS might continue to function.

• VMware vCenter Server Appliance: In vSphere 5.5, the VMware vCenter Server Appliance meets high-governance compliance standards through the enforcement of the DISA Security Technical Information Guidelines (STIG). Before you deploy VMware vCenter Server Appliance, see the VMware Hardened Virtual Appliance Operations Guide for information about the new security deployment standards and to ensure successful operations.

• vCenter Server database: vSphere 5.5 removes support for IBM DB2 as the vCenter Server database.

• VMware Tools: Beginning with vSphere 5.5, all information about how to install and configure VMware Tools in vSphere is merged with the other vSphere documentation. For information about using VMware Tools in vSphere, see the vSphere documentation. Installing and Configuring VMware Tools is not relevant to vSphere 5.5 and later.

• vSphere Data Protection: vSphere Data Protection 5.1 is not compatible with vSphere 5.5 because of a change in the way vSphere Web Client operates. vSphere Data Protection 5.1 users who upgrade to vSphere 5.5 must also update vSphere Data Protection to continue using vSphere Data Protection.