How to update or patch vCenter 6 Appliance (VCSA) ?

By Mariusz | January 9, 2017

It's almost 2 months after release of vSphere 6 and the first vCenter 6 patching needed to be done in my lab 🙂 As I described in my post here, I prefer (and recommend 🙂 to install vCenter Appliance because currently VCSA 6.x offers the same functionality as vCenter installed on Windows machine. One of the most useful feature of VCSA 5.x is updating directly from internet. Unfortunately, patching/updating of vCenter 6 appliance is a little bit different but still easy - update: since VCSA 6.0 U1 again you can use VAMI to patch vCenter Appliance as well!

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

Download VCSA patch from here.
Product Patches - VMware site.
Take a snapshot of VCSA.
Connect downloaded ISO file to the VCSA VM.
Log in to the VCSA via SSH.
Run the following command.

Command> software-packages install --iso --acceptEulas
Accept EULA and wait till patching/updating will be finished:

[2015-04-28T15:15:12.118] : Staging software update packages from ISO
[2015-04-28T15:15:13.118] : ISO mounted successfully
[2015-04-28 15:15:13,198] : Running pre-stage script.....
[2015-04-28T15:15:14.118] : Verifying staging area
[2015-04-28T15:15:14.118] : Validating software update payload
[2015-04-28T15:15:14.118] : Validation successful
[2015-04-28 15:15:51,055] : Processing software packages in update payload 36/36
[2015-04-28T15:16:18.118] : ISO unmounted successfully
[2015-04-28T15:16:18.118] : (34) packages staged successfully
[2015-04-28 15:16:18,694] : Running test transaction ....
[2015-04-28 15:16:24,707] : Running pre-install script.....
[2015-04-28T15:18:23.118] : Services stopped.
[2015-04-28 15:18:23,082] : Upgrading software packages ....
[2015-04-28 15:21:04,355] : Running post-install script.....
[2015-04-28T15:21:05.118] : Packages upgraded successfully, Reboot is required to complete the installation.
Reboot VCSA by running:

shutdown reboot -r updating
vCenter Appliance build should be changed

How to update or patch vCenter 6 Appliance (VCSA) - new build

New VCSA build version.

As I have shown above, patching/updating of VCSA 6.x is different than vCenter Appliance 5.x but still not complicated 🙂 If your patching is successful, you can delete the snapshot of VCSA 🙂

Update 10th September: Since VCSA 6.0 U1 you can again update your vCenter Appliance via GUI! So you need to patch your VCSA 6.0 to 6.0U1 using above steps 🙂 and the next time you can use GUI! (VAMI)

Note: If you have vCenter with external PSC, please follow above steps at first on PSC and then on VCSA.

Updates:

I had a problem with VAMI after patching my VCSA 6.0. For more information please follow the post here. Interesting logs:

/var/log/boot.msg

/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/software-packages.log

/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/vami.log

Update 29th January: If you update at least VCSA 6.0 U1 using VAMI (patching directly from internet or using local repository), the update may hang at 70%. If you face this problem, you need to check the update log /var/log/vmware/applmgmt/software-packages.log on VCSA (using SSH) and find a line similar: "UpdateTask: status=completed, percent=100". It means the update is completed and you can reboot the VCSA.

vincent June 21, 2015

Command> software-packages install –iso
usage: software-packages [-h] {stage,unstage,install,list} ...
software-packages: error: unrecognized arguments: –iso
Command>

need to use --iso instead of -iso.

Reply ↓
1. vincent June 21, 2015
  
  "--iso"
  double dash , damn auto correction
  
  Reply ↓
  1. Mariusz Post authorJune 21, 2015
    
    Thanks Vincent.
    
    of course, double dash (wordpress corrected it automatically), thanks for vigilance! Fortunately I found out how to disable this!
    
    Reply ↓
Pits June 29, 2015

When i mount: VMware-VCSA-all-6.0.0-2656757.iso

Command> software-packages install --iso
Staging software update packages from ISO
ISO unmounted successfully
CD drives do not have valid patch iso.
Installation process failed

Reply ↓
1. Mariusz Post authorJune 29, 2015
  
  This is not a valid patch iso. Looks like you mount VCSA installer... You should download a correct patch iso 🙂 For example: VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-6.0.0.5110-2656759-patch-FP.iso
  
  Reply ↓
Mick Russom July 13, 2015

VMware is a joke.

Everyone else is like
apt-get update, apt-get dist-upgrade
or
yum makecache , yum upgrade

This patching system is crap. it really is. ISOs with one package file?

JOKE. Vmware going backwards.

Reply ↓
1. Mariusz Post authorJuly 13, 2015
  
  I don't know why VMware changed patching style in VCSA 6.0. For example, patching vCenter Appliance 5.5 is easy and intuitive.
  
  Reply ↓
  1. Dawid July 13, 2015
    
    Yep agree, I really liked the way it worked in 5.5.
    
    Reply ↓
vincent August 12, 2015

Tried the same procedure with VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-6.0.0.5120-2800573-patch-FP.iso
No error seen anywhere, but after reboot I am still running 6.0.0 2776510..

ssh session shows

[2015-08-12 04:46:57,870] : Running test transaction ....
[2015-08-12 04:46:58,874] : Upgrading software packages ....
[2015-08-12T04:46:59.224] : Packages upgraded successfully, Reboot is required to complete the installation.
[2015-08-12T04:46:59.224] : ISO unmounted successfully
Command> shutdown reboot -r updating

Anyone has the same issue? what log could I check to understand what is going on?

Thanks!

Reply ↓
1. Mariusz Post authorAugust 12, 2015
  
  Hi Vincent,
  
  Looks ok. 2800573 is an installer build number. The vCenter build is 2776510. When do you open VM console of vCenter Appliance, can you see 5120 version as shown on the figure?
  
  Always you can confirm build numbers here.
  
  Reply ↓
  1. vincent August 12, 2015
    
    Thanks Mariusz , very handy link.
    
    The table shows:
    Version Release Date Build Number Installer Build Number
    vCenter Server 6.0.0b 2015-07-07 2776511 2800571
    
    My vCenter displays 6.0.0, 2776510, and does show 5120 in the console indeed.
    So I suppose it s up to date.. even so the build number is off by 1.
    
    Reply ↓
    1. Mariusz Post authorAugust 12, 2015
      
      Vincent,
      
      there is also information about vCenter Appliance. You need just to scroll down a little bit... vCenter Appliance build number is -1 than vCenter Windows 🙂
      
      Reply ↓
David August 12, 2015

Hi,

Very useful, thanks for sharing.

Reply ↓
Sean September 18, 2015

Thanks a lot! Worked perfectly.

Reply ↓
Vidanez September 21, 2015

Hi,
I would modify step 3 from:
Connect downloaded ISO file to the VCSA VM.
to:
Connect downloaded ISO file to the VCSA VM using the ESXi where the vm is living.
Because that would save a few headaches

Regards,
JJ

Reply ↓
vincent October 25, 2015

It's asking for nobody's password. I don't remember to set up this during initial installation.
Do you know what is this? Thank you in advance

Reply ↓
1. Mariusz Post authorOctober 25, 2015
  
  Interesting, could you share a screenshot?
  
  Reply ↓
2. Mat November 4, 2015
  
  Seems you are logged on with a VMware SSO account. You need to log on with the VCSA root account.
  
  Reply ↓
arjan February 14, 2016

I'm trying to update vcsa 6, but it won't start.
screen output:

Command> software-packages stage --iso
[2016-02-14T20:46:47.045] : Packages already staged.
[2016-02-14T20:46:47.045] : Run software-packages list OR software-packages install to continue
[2016-02-14T20:46:47.045] : Run software-packages unstage to delete old staged packages
Command> software-packages unstage
[2016-02-14T20:46:57.045] : Unstage operation completed successfully
Command> software-packages stage --iso
[2016-02-14T20:47:01.045] : Staging software update packages from ISO
[2016-02-14T20:47:01.045] : ISO mounted successfully
[2016-02-14 20:47:01,364] : Running pre-stage script.....
[2016-02-14T20:47:02.045] : Verifying staging area
[2016-02-14T20:47:02.045] : Validating software update payload
[2016-02-14T20:47:02.045] : Validation successful

Command> software-packages list --staged
[2016-02-14T20:48:39.045] :
category: security
kb: http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2111640
vendor: VMware, Inc.
name: VC-6.0.0a-Appliance-FP
tags: [u'']
productname: VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance
releasedate: April 9, 2015
version: 6.0.0.5110
buildnumber: 2656759
rebootrequired: True
summary: Patch for VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0
severity: critical

Command> software-packages install --staged
[2016-02-14 20:49:06,957] : Running test transaction ....
[2016-02-14T20:49:07.045] : Installation process failed

anyone any idea?

Reply ↓
1. Davide February 23, 2016
  
  Have you checked if VCSA file system has not full mounted point device. In my experience we have the same issue because "/storage/log" has no free space.
  After cleaning from al *.log files update was succesfully
  
  i.e you can do this form shell on the VCSA
  find -type f -name '*.log' -exec rm {} +
  
  to remove all .log files recursively.
  
  Bye
  
  Reply ↓
  1. Mariusz Post authorFebruary 23, 2016
    
    Hi Davide,
    
    thx for this info.
    
    Reply ↓
Welington Contreras March 7, 2016

If I dont know the root password?

Reply ↓
1. Mariusz Post authorMarch 7, 2016
  
  Have you forgotten? You can follow this guide to reset the root password.
  
  Reply ↓
Patrick April 15, 2016

Not able to find the "update" button upgrade with this manual to 6.0.0.20000
any idea?

Reply ↓
1. Mariusz Post authorApril 15, 2016
  
  Hi,
  
  you have to use VAMI as described here.
  
  Reply ↓
Anthony August 24, 2016

Thanks - worked a treat - downloaded the iso.

Mounted it - connected via ssh and run the commands , all up to date now.

Reply ↓
_nd348057 November 30, 2016

Thank you, this was very useful -- i thought vcsa auto updated, but mine obviously did not.

Reply ↓

How to update or patch vCenter 6 Appliance (VCSA) ?

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