RR 6.x and vCenter Server 6.5 (not ESXi)

Question

I've recently been having issues with the CIP and latest browser versions so I'm thinking about upgrading vCenter Server to 6.5 so I can use the HTML5 interface (along with integrating VUM) but I'm not sure if this is supported for Rapid Recovery 6.x yet. I know there are some issues with ESXi 6.5 but I don't plan on upgrading my hosts until everything is supported. 
 Would there be any foreseeable issues with just upgrading vCenter to 6.5? 
 
 Additionally 
 
 I see that when upgrading from VCSA 6.0 to 6.5, you need to provide a new name for the appliance because it deploys a new machine (old one is shut down). If I am protecting machines via vCenter, is there a recommended procedure for updating RR? Should I remove and re-add vCenter? Or just edit the properties of the vCenter Server --> Host Name, Display Name? Would this re-link all protected machines?

phuffers · Accepted Answer

Greetings. The short answer is yes, this should be just fine. Since you will have VMware 6.5 in the mix however you will want to be on RR 6.1.137 or above, regardless of whether or not you upgrade your hosts themselves (which you do not have to until you are ready to do so, if at all). This reply will also assume you are protecting your VMs agent-lessly, if you aren't and you are still using agents, then the backups will work regardless, however you'll need to upgrade the core to the previously mentioned version to restore. 
 
Do you have the ability/resources of just installing a fresh vCenter VA (the VCSA) that can be up and running, and you can configure it, and whatever settings you want, and then migrate to it to try to minimize your downtime? If so, that is what I'd recommend rather than upgrading my existing vCenter VA (it simply has not gone well for me personally over time and due to the ease of deployment at times it is just as easy to install a new one if you have the available hardware). If you don't and you simply upgrade, and the upgrade works, then realistically no changes have to be made to your RR core, aside from being on version 6.1.1.137 (or above). Older versions will backup VMware 6.5, however they will not restore directly to it, thus you will want to upgrade your core sooner than later (or before). That is again, if everything goes fine with the upgrade. 
 
Otherwise you can: 
 
1) Deploy a new vCenter VA and configure it 
2) Before you convert to it, remove your agent-lessly protected VMs, but keep recovery points 
3) Add/join the hosts to the new VC 
4) From the RR core protect multiple machines > VMware > point to the new VC > Re-add your VMs to protection 
 
Due to CBT being .vmdk based the VMs should just pick up with their next incremental RPs. The only exception (which is rare) is if VMware decides it needs to issue new UUIDs to the VMs, but that is very, uncommon.