UPGRADING VMWARE VCENTER APPLIANCE 5.X TO 5.5

Last week VMware vSphere 5.5 went GA, so it is time to update the home lab to the latest version. I am using the VMware vCenter Appliance (VCSA), and it is the latest version. I never did an upgrade of the VCSA so I start searching the knowledgebase of VMware and found an article describing the upgrade process (VMware KB2058441).
Prerequisites

• Before attempting the upgrade, if you are using custom SSL certificates, ensure that they meet the requirements as per Configuring Certificate Authority (CA) signed certificates for vCenter Server Appliance 5.5 (2057223).
• Ensure that you have taken a backup/snapshot of your existing vCenter Server Appliance and the external database.

Procedure

1. Deploy the new VMware vCenter Appliance.
2. Connect to both the old and new appliances in separate browser windows. For example, use a URL similar tohttps://ip_address_of_vCenter_VM:5480
3. In the new appliance, start the vCenter Server Setup wizard and accept the end user license agreement.
4. In the Configure Options panel, select Upgrade from previous version and then click Next.
5. Copy the key from the Import this key into the source appliance field.
6. If you are upgrading vCenter Server Appliance 5.0.x to 5.5:
   • In the old vCenter Server Appliance 5.0, click the Appliance Upgrade tab.
   • Select source for the appliance role and click Set role.
   • Click Establish Trust.
   • Paste the local appliance key into the Remote appliance key field.
   • Click Import remote key.
   • Copy the local appliance key.
   • In the new vCenter Server Appliance 5.5, paste the local appliance key into the Remote appliance key field and click Next.
7. If you are upgrading vCenter Server Appliance 5.1 to 5.5:
   • In the old vCenter Server Appliance 5.1, paste the key from Step 5 into the Upgrade key field.
   • Click Import key.
   • Stop vCenter Server.
   • Copy the Upgrade key.
   • In the new appliance, paste the Upgrade key to the Paste the source appliance key into the field below field and click Next.
   • If there are issues detected with your SSL certificates, select the Replace the SSL certificates option. You are prompted for SSO password for user admi...@vsphere.local.

This looks pretty easy. First I deployed a new VCSA with a new name (VCSA 5.5), configured the IP settings, different than my original VCSA (VCSA 5.1). After the OVF deployment I started the VCSA and went to the management page. I accepted the EULA on my new VCSA 5.5.