vExpert

VMware regularly releases patches for the vCenter Server Appliance that might be related to third-party products in the platform, core product functionality, or both. You can use the Appliance Management Interface or the appliance shell to apply patches to a vCenter Server Appliance that contains a vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services Controller, a vCenter Server with an external Platform Services Controller, or a Platform Services Controller.

VMware makes patches available on a monthly basis. These patches can only be applied in between major releases of vCenter Server Appliance. For example, patches released for the initial release of vCenter Server Appliance 6.7, are not applicable to vCenter Server Appliance 6.7 Update 1, as any patches previously made available will be included with the Update 1 release.

VMware distributes the available patches in two forms, one for ISO-based and one for URL-based models of patching.

• You can download the patch ISO images from VMware Repository.

VMware publishes a single type of ISO image that contains patches.

• You can configure the vCenter Server Appliance and Platform Services Controller appliance to use a repository URL as a source of available patches. The appliance is preset with a default VMware repository URL.

In this blog I am briefing about the vCSA upgrade/patch using GUI, Offline and Command line.

Prerequisites

Before upgrading or patching your vCenter you should fulfill the below prerequisites

• Read Release Notes
• Check VMware Product Interoperability Matrices – This is very important to know the compatibility between different solutions used in your virtual infrastructure.
• Backup and Create a Snapshot of vCenter Server Appliance

Upgrade vCSA through GUI

Most of today’s environments are connected to the internet, So the most convenient option is to patch VCSA online. To do this, there are just few simple steps.

Login to vCSA Management URL(https://FQDN or IP-Address:5480/) and verify the current version

Configure Proxy if you have in your infrastructure or you can skip this step

Click Networking to configure the Proxy Settings

Click Edit add the Proxy Details and Save

Go to Update, where you’ll select the CD-ROM + URL link, which will check the internet location of updates at VMware first

Click Stage and Install to continue Upgrade

Accept the EULA and click Next

This will run the Pre-Upgrade checks and give you an estimated of downtime, Click Finish to start the Upgrade or Patch

This will start the staging of update

Once staging complete, wizard will stop vCenter Services

And further starts the package installation

Reboot the Appliance and once appliance is up, login to VAMI URL and check the version

Check all services status in Services tab and login to vCenter Web Client and review your inventory and configurations

Upgrade vCSA Offline

The offline update is useful in situations where VMware VCSA does not have a direct connection to the internet.

Download VCSA patch from here.

Select the appliance patch and download the ISO

Login to vCSA Management URL (https://FQDN or IP-Address:5480/) and verify the current version

Mount the download ISO file to vCSA appliance and navigate to Update Menu in VAMI URL and click Check Updates – Check CD‑ROM. 

You can see the Patch details like below

You can click Run Pre-update checks, which gives you an estimate of a downtime, but if you don’t need vCenter for several hours, you can simply go and click the Stage and Install link.

Accept the EULA and click Next

This will run the Pre-Upgrade checks and give you an estimated of downtime, Click Finish to start the Upgrade or Patch

Once appliance is up, login to VAMI URL and check the version

Check all services status in Services tab and login to vCenter Web Client and review your inventory and configurations

Upgrade vCSA through CLI

To update or patch your vCenter 6.x Appliance, please follow the below steps:

Download VCSA patch from here.

Select the appliance patch and download the ISO

Login to vCSA Management URL(https://FQDN or IP-Address:5480/) and verify the current version

Enable SSH login on appliance by editing Access Settings

Mount the download ISO file to vCSA appliance and login to Appliance using SSH

Make sure you are in appliance shell else please refer this VMware KB

Run the below command to stage the ISO file

Command>software-packages stage --iso --acceptEulas

Verify the staged content by executing below command

Command>software-packages list --staged

Install the updates by executing below command

Command>software-packages install --staged

Once complete reboot the appliance to make the changes on effect

Command>reboot

Once appliance is up, login to VAMI URL and check the version

Check all services status in Services tab and login to vCenter Web Client and review your inventory and configurations.

Remove the Snapshot once you complete the upgrade successfully after verification

Thanks,

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I hope this article was informative, and don’t forget to buy me a coffee if you found this worth reading.

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