Perform a skip-level ESXi upgrade from VMware Cloud Foundation version 3.7.0 to 3.8.0.
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Perform a skip-level ESXi upgrade from VMware Cloud Foundation version 3.7.0 to 3.8.0.

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Article ID: 306185

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Updated On:

Products

VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

This article provides instructions for skip-level ESXi upgrade from VMware Cloud Foundation version 3.7.0 to 3.8.0.

Symptoms:
  • The VMware Cloud Foundation deployment is on 3.7.0 and the ESXi host require skipping the upgrade patches released in:

   a) VCF 3.7.1.0
   b) VCF 3.7.2.0
   c) VCF 3.8.0.0 

  • The target version of VMware Cloud Foundation is 3.8.1.
  • The current VCF  Base Version is VCF 3.7.0.
  • The current ESXi running version is 6.7.0-11675023.

 

Requirements : 


a) The target version is VMware Cloud Foundation is 3.8.1.
b) The request is to skip the ESXi patch bundles released in :

  1. cd74476b-06844cf2-a744-74a887dcbf88    bundle11814.manifest ------ PATCH,   vcf 3.7.1.0, VMWARE_SOFTWARE, ESXi 6.7, Patch Release ESXi670-201903001

 

ESX Server

6.7.0-11675023

6.7.0-13004448

ESXi670-201903001.zip

  1. *f88d9e30-92194e4389037996865683e3    bundle12202.manifest ------ PATCH,   vcf 3.7.2.0, VMWARE_SOFTWARE, ESXi 6.7, Patch Release ESXi670-201905001

 

ESX Server

6.7.0-13004448

6.7.0-13644319

ESXi670-201905001.zip

 

  1. 8aad9e98-b5b6-41cb-8d83-589e867d3faf    bundle-14561.manifest ------ INSTALL  vcf 3.8.0.0, ESXi 6.7, Patch

 

ESX Server

6.7.0-13644319

6.7.0-13981272

ESXi670-201906002.zip

   

  c) The end goal is to apply the vSphere 6.7 U3 ISO released in VCF 3.8.1.

8f02df7c-f5f3-45df-9d95-a11d9b3dc5bd    bundle-16165.manifest ------ PATCH    VCF 3.8.1 VMware ESXi 6.7 Update.

 

ESX Server

6.7.0-13981272

6.7.0-14320388

update-from-esxi6.7-6.7_update03.zip



Environment

VMware Cloud Foundation 3.7.x

Resolution



Workaround:

Note : The following steps are completing the release-to-release upgrade in sequence, only skipping the ESXi upgrade for the mentioned releases:
VCF 3.7.1 , VCF 3.7.2 , VCF 3.8.0 .

Upgrade steps:

A) Upgrade from VCF 3.7.0 to VCF 3.7.1.
B) Upgrade from VCF 3.7.1 to VCF 3.7.2.
C) Upgrade from VCF 3.7.2 to VCF 3.8.0.
D) Upgrade from VCF 3.8.0 to VCF 3.8.1.


Upgrade from VCF 3.7.0 to VCF 3.7.1

  1. Schedule the available upgrade for the bundles available for VCF 3.7.1 but don't apply the   ESXi 3.7.1 upgrade bundle.
  2. Wait until the the  VCF 3.7.1  ESXi upgrade bundle becomes available though do not apply the bundle.
  3. Login to the SDDC Manager Controller VM as the vcf user.
  4. Issue the following command to switch to the root user account:
# su
  1. Navigate to path : /opt/vmware/vcf/lcm/lcm-app/conf
  2. Run the following command to backup the application.properties file:
# cp -p application.properties application.properties.bak
  1. Open the "application.properties" file with a text editor and add the following line:
"allowed.base.versions.for.aliasing=6.7.0-11675023,6.7.0-13004448,6.7.0-13644319,6.7.0-13981272"

Example:
# will override the defaults in prod profile
# this should only contain properties that we want to preserve on upgrade
spring.application.name=vcf_lcm

allowed.base.versions.for.aliasing=6.7.0-11675023,6.7.0-13644319
# generated database password on Sat Oct  5 15:32:46 UTC 2019
lcm.datasource.password=VKIahB78Pt5P7iBFb8c20Nn8H2r/uhYA5b5KfxxdR1s=
  1. Save and close the file.
  2.  Open the /opt/vmware/vcf/lcm/lcm-app/conf/VersionAlias.yml file  with a text editor and update the ESX_HOST "base" and "alias" value as following  [Please see the attached].

Example_VersionAlias.yml]
    ESX_HOST:
        - base: 6.7.0-13981272
          alias:
              - 6.7.0-11675023

Note: Ensure that only spaces are used when editing VersionAlias.yml file as tab characters will break parsing and the LCM service may not start. Refer to commented examples in the file for a proper sample.

  1. Save and close the file.

Notes:-

  • The base version is the version of the ESXi vSphere 6.7 U3 (VCF 3.8.1) bundle previous version 
  • The ailas version is the current system running version 
  1. Restart the lcm service by typing "systemctl restart lcm".
  2. Apply all the available 3.7.1 upgrade in sequential except for the ESXI Host bundle.
  3. Manually download he ESXi U3 bundles for VCF 3.8.1.
  1. Copy to folder to /home/vcf/bundles directory  on the SDDC Manager.
  2. Issue the following command to import the bundle files into LCM Repository:

curl -k http://127.0.0.1/lcm/bundle/upload -X POST -d '{"bundle":"/home/vcf/bundles/bundle-16165.tar","manifest":"/home/vcf/bundles/bundle-16165.manifest", "signature":"/home/vcf/bundles/bundle-16165.manifest.sig"}' -H 'Content-Type:application/json' 

  1. The bundle should now be in a validating state in the SDDC Manager UI then the 3.8.1 ESXi ( vsphere 6.7U3 ) bundle will show as available .

Notes:
  • Don't apply ESXi 3.8.1 bundle as the deployment needs to be upgraded first to VCF 3.8.1 before applying the ESXi upgrade bundle.
  • The VCF 3.7.2 bundle service bundle will be available to download after 3 hours.


Upgrade from VCF 3.7.1 to VCF 3.7.2.

  • Start applying VCF 3.7.2  bundles once it is available to be  download. 
  •  Later you will see the VCF 3.8.1 ESXi bundle is again applicable. At that point need to wait unit we see the 3.8.0. bundles 


Upgrade from VCF 3.7.2 to VCF 3.8.0.

  1. Download the VCF 3.8.0 ( First bundle) and apply the upgrade. 
  2.  Increase the bundles manifest pull time to "every 10th minute" so it will download the manifests available on index.v3
  • Open the  /opt/vmware/vcf/lcm/lcm-app/conf/application-prod.properties  file with a text editor and
Find the line that reads:
lcm.core.manifest.poll.cron=0 5 * * * *
 
Change it to:
lcm.core.manifest.poll.cron=0 */10 * * * *
  • Save and close the file by typing :wq
  • Restart the lcm service by typing "systemctl restart lcm"
  1. Wait for 1-2 hours ( so all the  VCF 3.8.0 manifests are downloaded )
  2. Download and start applying the VCF 3.8.0 remaining bundles in the sequences.

Note :Again you will see the VCF 3.8.1 ESXi bundle available to apply but still we need to wait until  the VCF 3.8.1 bundles  are downloaded .


Upgrade from VCF 3.8.0 to VCF 3.8.1.

  1. Download and start applying all the 3.8.1 bundles in sequences.
  2. Once the ESXi (vSphere 6.7 U3 ) bundle is available to be apply, use the steps in the Upgrade ESXi with Custom ISO documents to change the ISO path to custom ISO .

Example of ESX custom image JSON file:

{
	"esxCustomImageSpecList": [
		{
			"bundleId": "8f02df7c-f5f3-45df-9d95-a11d9b3dc5bd",
			"targetEsxVersion": "6.7.0-14320388",
			"useVcfBundle": false,
			"customIsoAbsolutePath": "/nfs/vmware/vcf/nfs-mount/esx-upgrade-partner-binaries/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-6.7.0.update03-14320388.x86_64-DellEMC_Customized-A00.iso"
		}
	]
}
  1. Apply the ESXi upgrade with custom ISO. 


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