VMware: Manually upgrade VCenter using the CLI installer and ISO

Step 1: 
Download the ISO from Broadcom.
Go to the broadcom support pages https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere.html
Browse to VMWare Vsphere > Release notes, find the vCenter Server Update and Patch Release Notes, and click on the Patch link in the appropriate release notes to access the VCenter downloads
(You need to be logged into the Broadcom Support portal)
Download the "all" ISO. Not the Patch-FP ISO

Step 2:
Mount the ISO on the customer's computer/jumpbox (presuming Windows, double-click or right click and mount)
If you get a nondescript error, it may have automatically been mounted already - check for a new mapped drive on Windows Explorer.

Or open Powershell as administrator and run:

Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath 'C:\Users\vvlabuser\Desktop\VMware-VCSA-all-8.0.1-21815093.iso' 

Step 3:
Using Windows Explorer, browse to the mounted ISO, and in the vcsa-cli-installer folder find the embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi.json file.
Copy it to another location and edit it appropriately.

See attached example.
 

Step 4: Set DRS to manual (to prevent the new VM being vmotioned in the midst of the process)
 

Step 5: Open Powershell as an administrator and Run the upgrade precheck:

Example:

.\vcsa-deploy.exe upgrade --skip-ovftool-verification --accept-eula --acknowledge-ceip --no-ssl-certificate-verification --precheck-only -v C:\Users\vvlabuser\Desktop\embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi.json 

Step 6:
Run the upgrade: 

Example:

.\vcsa-deploy.exe upgrade --skip-ovftool-verification --accept-eula --acknowledge-ceip --no-ssl-certificate-verification -v C:\Users\vvlabuser\Desktop\embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi.json 

It takes at least one hour, typically 90 minutes, for a VC 7 to VC 8 upgrade.
The time depends on the quantity of data to be copied, the bandwidth, etc.

Example output when complete:

==========VCSA Deployment Progress Report==========         Task: Install
required RPMs for the appliance.(SUCCEEDED 100/100)       - Task has completed
successfully.         Task: Run appliance precheck.(SUCCEEDED 100/100)        -
Task has completed successfully.         Task: Export existing appliance
data.(SUCCEEDED 100/100)        - Task has completed successfully.         Task:
Run firstboot scripts.(SUCCEEDED 100/100) - Task has completed successfully.
Task: Import data into appliance.(SUCCEEDED 100/100)    - Task has completed
successfully.
Successfully completed VCSA deployment.  VCSA Deployment Start Time:
2023-06-06T10:20:07.562Z VCSA Deployment End Time: 2023-06-06T11:02:26.150Z
 [SUCCEEDED] Successfully executed Task 'MonitorDeploymentTask: Monitoring
Deployment' in TaskFlow 'embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi' at 11:36:57
Monitoring VCSA Deploy task completed
ApplianceLoginSummaryTask: Provide appliance login information.
 [START] Start executing Task: Provide the login information about new
appliance. at 11:37:22
    Appliance Name: vCenter-Server-Appliance7
    System Name: vcluster101-vcsa.vv001.local
    System IP: 172.168.10.49
    Log in as: Administrator@vsphere.local
The vCenter Server will currently be in the evaluation-mode
 [SUCCEEDED] Successfully executed Task 'ApplianceLoginSummaryTask: Provide
appliance login information.' in TaskFlow 'embedded_vCSA_on_ESXi' at 11:37:34
[VAC] Attempt succeeded: CLI Client Info
vcsa-deploy execution successfully completed, workflow log dir:
C:\Users\INSTAL~1\AppData\Local\Temp\vcsaCliInstaller-2023-06-06-10-06-mafm8s5k\workflow_1686046000153
=================================== 11:37:58 ===================================
Result and Log File Information...
WorkFlow log directory:
C:\Users\INSTAL~1\AppData\Local\Temp\vcsaCliInstaller-2023-06-06-10-06-mafm8s5k\workflow_1686046000153 

After completion, revert DRS settings changes.

Note: Although this procedure is specific for upgrading from 7 to 8, the procedure for 6.7 (with or without external PSC) is essentially the same.

#CCTFY26Q1 filter added for tracking please do not remove.