VMware View 5.1 Not Compatible with vSphere 5.1

Update: 10/26/2012 – a patch has been released to correct compatibility between View 5.1 and vSphere ESXi 5.1.  See here for more: https://vmtoday.com/2012/10/vmware-view-5-1-x-now-compatible-with-vsphere-5-1/

VMware released vSphere 5.1 shortly after VMworld 2012.  The new release of vSphere includes features that will be of great benefit to VMware View virtual desktop infrastructures such as the new Space Efficient virtual disk (.vmdk) format and a new virtual machine format (hardware version 9) that enhances virtual shared graphics acceleration.  However, the current version of VMware View (5.1.1) is not compatible with vSphere 5.1.  VMware has a knowledge base article (https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2035268) that explains that no current versions of View (up to View 5.1.1) are compatible with vSphere 5.1.  The article advises customers to not upgrade vSphere above the supported versions listed in the VMware View 5.1 Release Notes.  The article also notes that “vSphere 5.1 is in the process of being certified against VMware View.”

It appears that progress is being made in making vSphere 5.1 compatible with View 5.1.  I subscribed to updates to VMware KB 2035268 via RSS and found that on 10/1/2012 an update was published on the article with information on an express patch for vSphere 5.1.  The patch info is in the Confidential Information section of the KB article, so you won’t be able to read it and probably won’t get access to the patch.  I wonder if the patch would be made available to customers with active SNS who had an itchy trigger finger on their vSphere 5.1 upgrade without reading release notes or checking VMware’s Interoperability Matrixes.

Confidential patches aside, don’t upgrade your View environments to vSphere 5.1 just yet.  Wait for VMware to certify interoperability, then work up a good plan for your upgrade and for enabling new vSphere 5.1 features to enhance your VDI environment.