Cannot use VMware Update Manager to upgrade Nexus 1000V from 4.0(4)SV1(1) to 4.0(4)SV1(2) on ESX / ESXi hosts running certain patch levels

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Due to an issue with VMware Update Manager (VUM), if you are using Nexus 1000V version 4.0(4)SV1(1), you cannot upgrade to version 4.0(4)SV1(2) by using Update Manager when any of the following ESX/ESXi patch bulletins are applied on the host:
  
  • ESX400-200912401-BG
  • ESXi400-200912401-BG
  • ESX400-201002401-BG
  • ESXi400-201002401-BG
    
    
• Upgrading Nexus 1000V fails during execution of the command vmware vem upgrade proceed on the Virtual Supervisor Module (VSM)
• Running the sh vmware vem upgrade status command on the VSM reports this error:
  
  Upgrade Status: Upgrade Errored in vCenter. Please check UpgradeError for more details.
  Upgrade Error: [VMware vCenter Server 4.0.0 build-208111] DVS operation failed on host <host IP address>, got (vmodl.fault.SystemError) exception. Cannot complete a Distributed Virt

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded

Resolution

If you are running Nexus 1000V 4.0(4)SV1(1) and need to apply one of the following patch bulletins: ESX400-200912401-BG, ESXi400-200912401-BG, ESX400-201002401-BG, or ESXi400-201002401 on a host, you can upgrade Nexus 1000V as follows:

1. Upgrade to Nexus 1000V 4.0(4)SV1(2) using Update Manager by following the steps in Cisco Nexus 1000V Software Upgrade Guide, Release 4.0(4)SV1(2).
2. Apply the following patch bulletins:
   
   For ESX 4.0: ESX400-200912401-BG, ESX400-201002401-BG
   For ESXi 4.0: ESXi400-200912401-BG, ESXi400-201002401-BG

This prevents the issue with upgrading Nexus 1000V using Update Manager.

If you already have hosts with patch bulletins ESX400-200912401-BG, ESXi400-200912401-BG, ESX400-201002401-BG, or ESXi400-201002401-BG installed and want to upgrade Nexus 1000V from 4.0(4)SV1(1) to 4.0(4)SV1(2):

1. Refer Cisco Nexus 1000V Software Upgrade Guide, Release 4.0(4)SV1(2).
2. If you are using the initial release of Update Manager 4.0 and have configured proxy settings, disable the proxy settings in the Patch Download Settings page of VUM Configuration.
   
   Note: This step is not required if you are using Update Manager 4.0 U1.
   
   
3. Upgrade VSM.
   
   Note: Trying to upgrade VEM by running the vmware vem upgrade proceed command should fail as explained in the symptoms section.
   
   
4. Identify the hosts that are not upgraded.
   
   To identify these hosts, on VSM run show module. The VEM version for the modules not upgraded is 4.0(4)SV1(1).
   
   
5. On the hosts that are not upgraded, identify the VMware patch build number by running module vem <module-number> execute vemcmd show.
   
   Upgrade the VEM by running vihostupdate to version 4.0(4)SV1(2)
   
   For example:
   
   vihostupdate --install --bundle "VEM400-*.zip" --server 10.78.108.198
   
   
6. Run vmware vem upgrade complete to complete the upgrade. This command succeeds if all hosts are upgraded to version 4.0(4)SV1(2).
7. Complete the remaining instruction in Cisco Nexus 1000V Software Upgrade Guide, Release 4.0(4)SV1(2).
8. If you disabled Proxy Settings in step 2 above, re-enable it in the Patch Download Settings page of VUM 4.0 Configuration.
   
   Note: This step is not required if you are using Update Manager 4.0 U1.