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VMWare vSphere: Update VCSA Appliance from command line

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Hi,

I will show you how you can update a VCSA Appliance from command line rather then from webfrontend.

I assume you have configured a proxy server when you do not have a direct internet connection.

Login to the appliance at the console or by ssh.

First of all check the state of the lookup service by lsdoctor

Run the lsdoctor tool to recognized some certificate issues. Certificate issues are often the problem when an update fails.

Command> shell
root@vCenter [ ~/lsdoctor-master ]# python lsdoctor.py -l
2021-12-13T12:52:04 INFO generateReport: Listing lookup service problems found in SSO domain...
2021-12-13T12:52:04 INFO generateReport: No issues detected in the lookup service entries


Stage the packages and accept eula

Command> software-packages stage --url --acceptEulas
 [2021-02-28T18:44:03.060] : UpdateInfo: Using product version 7.0.1.00100 and build 17004997
 [2021-02-28T18:44:03.060] : Target VCSA version = 7.0.1.00300
 [2021-02-28T18:44:32.060] : Running requirements script.....

 [2021-02-28T18:44:54.060] : Evaluating packages to stage...
 [2021-02-28T18:44:54.060] : Verifying staging area
 [2021-02-28T18:44:54.060] : Staging process completed successfully

List staged update

Command> software-packages list --staged
        category: Bugfix
        kb: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/rn/vsphere-vcenter-server-70u1d-release-notes.html
        leaf_services: ['vmware-pod' , 'vsphere-ui', 'wcp']
        vendor: VMware, Inc.
        name: VC-7.0U1d
        size in MB: 5103

Install staged packages, the vSphere sso adminstrator password is needed during installation.

Command> software-packages install --staged
Enter Single Sign-On administrator password:

 [2021-03-01T09:08:47.060] : Validating software update payload
 [2021-03-01T09:08:47.060] : UpdateInfo: Using product version 7.0.1.00100 and build 17004997
 [2021-03-01 09:08:47,460] : Running validate script.....
 [2021-03-01T09:08:52.060] : Validation successful
 [2021-03-01 09:08:52,485] : Copying software packages 39/165

If you don’t won’t to update directly over the internet, download the latest patch and mount the iso as a cdrom to the VCSA appliance.

Stage it with

Command> software-packages stage --iso

Logs about the update process:
/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/applmgmt.log
The appliance state is stored here:
/etc/applmgmt/appliance/software_update_state.conf

If an update failed, you want to open a ticket, VMware wants an Appilance log bundle

Command> shell
root@ myVCSA # vc-support.sh

Bundle is stored at /storage/log/

Michael

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