vSphere 6.0 Update 3 and more Released

VMware Sphere vCenter 6.0 update 3

This new version have some new features and bug fixes:

• Support for Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol: Support for TLSv 1.0, TLSv 1.1, and TLSv 1.2 are enabled by default and configurable for vCenter Server 6.0 Update 3.
  
  • VMware Syslog Collector on vCenter Server Appliance supports TLSv1.0 only.
    
  • To configure TLSv 1.0, TLSv 1.1and TLSv 1.2, see KB 2148819.
    
  • For VMware products supported for TLSv1.0 disablement and the use of TLSv1.1, TLSv1.2, see KB 2145796.
    
  • Download the TLS configuration script from the Product Download page
    
  • For known issues related to the TLS protocol, see KB 2148819.
    
• Database Support: vCenter Server now supports the following external databases
  Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 3
  
• Changes in command-line templates and strings: Updates to command-line interface templates and strings. Read the Command-Line Deployment and Upgrade of VMware vCenter Server Appliance for more information on changes in CLI templates and strings.
  
• Windows to Linux migration support: With installation and upgrade, migration from vCenter Server Windows 5.5.x to vCenter Server Appliance 6.0 Update 3 is supported. Read the vSphere Migration documentation for more information on migrating VMware vCenter Server to vCenter Server Appliance.
  
• Updates to time zones in the Linux Guest Operating System customization: vCenter Server Linux guest operating system customization supports latest time zones. For more information on time zone changes and daylight saving time (DST) changes in Linux guest operating systems, see the Time Zone Database by Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA).
  
• Updates to time zones in the Windows Guest Operating System customization: vCenter Server Windows guest operating systems customization supports the latest time zones. For more information on time zone changes and daylight saving time (DST) changes in Windows guest operating systems, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 3162835.
  
• Platform Services Controller: Platform Services Controller of vCenter Server Appliance is installed with 4 GB of memory by default, for fresh install and while upgrading from 5.5.x to 6.0 Update 3.
  
• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) over User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for Kerberos operations: For improved performance, use Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) over User Datagram Protocol (UDP) for Kerberos operations when it is a part of the Active Directory. To enable this feature, leave and join a domain for a minor update:
  
  1. Update your setup to 6.0 Update 3
     
  2. Leave and join a domain so that udp_preference_limit entry appears in /etc/krb5.conf
     
  Note: It is applicable for vCenter Server Appliance only. The current setting may remain functional if no operation is performed.
  

 See the full release notes here: http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vsphere/60/vsphere-vcenter-server-60u3-release-notes.html

VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0 Update 3

This new version have some new features and bug fixes:

• Updated ESXi Host Client: VMware ESXi 6.0 Update 3 includes an updated version of the ESXi Host Client, version 1.14.0. The updated Host Client includes bug fixes and brings it much closer to the functionality provided by the vSphere Client. If you updated the Host Client through ESXi 6.0 patch releases, then install version 1.14.0 provided with ESXi 6.0 U3. In addition, new versions of the Host Client continue to be released through the VMware Labs Flings website. However, these Fling releases are not officially supported and not recommended for production environments.
  
• Support for TLS: Support for TLSv1.0, TLSv1.1 and TLSv1.2 are enabled by default and configurable for ESXi 6.0 Update 3. Learn how to configure TLSv1.0,TLSv1.1 and TLSv1.2 from VMware Knowledge Base article 2148819. For a list of VMware products supported for TLSv1.0 disablement and the use of TLSv1.1/1.2, consult VMware Knowledge Base article 2145796.
  
• vSAN Performance: Multiple fixes are introduced in this VMware ESXi 6.0 Update 3 release to optimize I/O path for improved vSAN perfoamance in All Flash and Hybrid configurations:
  
  • Log management and storage improvements were made that enable more logs to be stored per byte of storage. This should significantly improve performance for write-intensive workloads. Because vSAN is a log based file system, efficient management of log entries is key to preventing unwarranted build up of logs.
    
  • In addition to increasing the packing density of the log entries, for scenarios involving large file being deleted while data services is turned on, vSAN preemptively de-stages data to the capacity tier which efficiently manages the log growth.
    
  • The checksum code path is now more efficient.
    

See the full release notes here: http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vsphere/60/vsphere-esxi-60u3-release-notes.html

VMware vSphere Replication 6.1.2

This new version have some new features and bug fixes:

• Supports upgrade migration path from vCenter Server Windows 5.5.x to vCenter Server Virtual Appliance 6.0 Update 3 by delivering a direct upgrade path from vSphere Replication 5.8.1.3 to vSphere Replication 6.1.2.
  
• vSphere Replication Appliance base OS upgrade to SLES 12 SP1.
  

VMware vSphere Replication 6.1.2 is compatible with VMware vSphere 6.0 Update 3.

See the full Release notes here: http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vsphere-replication/612/vsphere-replication-612-release-notes.html

VMware vSphere PSC HA configuration Scripts 6.0.3

This is an upgraded version supporting vSphere 6.0 Update 3.

It can be downloaded here: https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=PSCHA600&productId=491

VMware vSphere Big Data Extensions 2.3.2

Big Data Extensions 2.3.2 is a security update that addresses security concerns in the Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.0 protocol. Due to security concerns in the TLS 1.0 protocol, Big Data Extensions 2.3.2 allows you to select the version of TLS you wish to use in your environment. You can choose to use TLS versions 1.0, 1.1 or 1.2 to secure client connections.

Due to the TLS 1.0 security concerns, Big Data Extensions 2.3.2 no longer supports Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication. To securely connect to either the Big Data Extensions plug-in interface or Serengeti Management Server, use session-based authentication such as Active Directory or LDAP to provide secure, centralized authentication instead of SSO.

See the full release notes here: http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/bde/23/vsphere-big-data-extensions-23-release-notes.html?src=vmw_so_vex_akjaer_1025

:Notes:

Upgrading from vCenter Server 6.0 Update 3 to vCenter Server 6.5 is not supported.