Patching Archives - CloudITBlog

I was getting an error where I wasn’t able to download patches one day. This was the fix that I found.

On Windows server where VUM is installed Stop VMware vSphere Update Manager Service.

In Windows Services, stop the vSphere Update Manager Service as below:

Open up Windows ODBC 64-bit, select ‘System DSN’ tab and highlight VMware vSphere Update Manager, click Configure.

Then click Next until you reach Finish:

Click Test Data Source

Came back successfully as below:

If OK, go to the next step but if not look at error and resolve the issue:

Launch the VMware vSphere Update Manager Utility (located Program files/ VMware/ Infrastructure/ Update Manager.) Login with vSphere Credentials.

Available options once you login:

First I would normally try to re-register to vCenter Server. Enter the relevant details and click Apply. Restart the VMware vSphere Update Manager Service.

Try patching the hosts again with VUM. If successful, well done, you are finished.

If you still have issues go to the next step.

Launch VMware vSphere Update Manager Utility (located Program files/ VMware/ Infrastructure/ Update Manager.) and login with vSphere Credentials.

Select Database Settings and click Re-intialize Database, and then click Apply. WARNING: This will reset the database back to default! Any HPE / Dell Custom Baselines and Images you had added to downloads will need to be recreated along with custom baselines.

Using Runecast (great tool, more posts to come) we can see this ESXi host has been selected has 89 issues that need to be resolved:

I personally check the following before starting as these are common reasons for post remediation issues:

Cluster – Configure – Services – make sure vSphere DRS is set to Manual:

Cluster – Configure – Services -untick vSphere HA and Proactive HA:

Cluster – Configure – Configuration – VMware EVC – Enable for the chipset you are using

Highlight the ESXi host you want to patch, then under the Update Manager tab select Scan for Updates:

Select what you want to Scan for and click OK:

Once Scan has completed Click on Stage Patches:

Note that if you click Remediation, everything will take place in one go (staging is where the patches are uploaded to the host pre-install)

Select the Baselines you want to apply and then click next:

Verify the host you want to patch is selected and the click next:

Select Patches and Extensions you want to be staged and click next.

Click Finish:

Wait for the staging of patches to complete:

Click on Remediate:

Select Baselines you want to apply and click Next:

Verify the Host and click Next:

Verify that the patches selected are ones you want to install and click Next:

Options 1 and 2 is for you to decide. I choose to do this when I am available to monitor, however a lot of admins to it out of hours. Click Next:

The depends on your environment and the situation, for example you might want VMs to reboot at the same time. It is safer to leave VMs as-is for this update. Click Next: