Update Manager fails to scan hosts with the error: Cannot merge VIBs with unequal payloads

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• vSphere Update Manager fails to scan hosts which are running the Cisco Nexus 1000V switch.
• The hosts are connected to the VMware Patch Portal and to the Cisco virtual switch manager (VSM).
• vSphere Update Manager reports the error:
  
  Host returns ESX error code 99, unhandled exception has occurred
  
  
• In the /var/log/esxupdate.log file, you see messages similar to:
  
  ERROR: An unexpected exception was caught:
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: Traceback (most recent call last):
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/usr/sbin/esxupdate", line 216, in main
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: cmd.Run()
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-914609/bora/build/esx/release/vmvisor/sys/lib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esx5update/Cmdline.py", line 106, in Run
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-914609/bora/build/esx/release/vmvisor/sys/lib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Transaction.py", line 78, in DownloadMetadatas
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-914609/bora/build/esx/release/vmvisor/sys/lib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esximage/VibCollection.py", line 62, in __add__
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-914609/bora/build/esx/release/vmvisor/sys/lib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esximage/VibCollection.py", line 79, in AddVib
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: File "/build/mts/release/bora-914609/bora/build/esx/release/vmvisor/sys/lib/python2.6/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Vib.py", line 625, in MergeVib
  esxupdate: esxupdate: ERROR: ValueError: Cannot merge VIBs Cisco_bootbank_cisco-vem-v152-esx_4.2.1.2.1.1a.0-3.1.1, Cisco_bootbank_cisco-vem-v152-esx_4.2.1.2.1.1a.0-3.1.1 with unequal payloads attributes: ([<vmware.esximage.Vib.Payload object at 0x87d080c>], [<vmware.esximage.Vib.Payload object at 0x87d65ac>])
  esxupdate: esxupdate: DEBUG: <<<

Environment

VMware vSphere Update Manager 5.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1
VMware vSphere Update Manager 5.1.x

Cause

This error occurs when two VIBs use the same vSphere Update Manager (VUM) identifier or bulletin ID (type, name, vendor, version) with different attributes or payload. In specific releases of the Cisco Nexus 1000V for ESXi 5.0 and 5.1 hosts, the Cisco VSM packages an online bundle and an offline bundle with the same bulletin ID and slightly different payload. These Cisco releases include:

• 4.2(1)SV2(1.1)
• 4.2(1)SV2(1.1a)
• 4.2(1)SV2(2.1)
• 4.2(1)SV2(2.1a)

The error can occur under two conditions:

• The host connects simultaneously to the VMware patch portal with the offline bundle and the Cisco VSM with the online bundle. VMware has corrected this condition by updating the Cisco Nexus 1000V bundle available from the VMware patch portal.
• The Cisco VSM automatically pushes the online bundle to VUM, and an administrator also imports the offline bundle into VUM.

Note: This error does not impact hosts running ESXi 5.5 or 4.1.

Resolution

To work around this issue, use one of these methods:

• If you prefer to use vSphere Update Manager (VUM), re-initialize the VUM database to allow the hosts to be scanned and remediated. For more information, see Initializing the VMware vCenter Update Manager database without reinstalling it (2043170).
  
  
• Manually install the VIB using the esxcli command. For more information, see Installing async drivers on ESXi 5.0, 5.1, and 5.5 (2005205).

Additional Information

How to download and install async drivers in ESXi 5.x/6.x
Initializing the VMware vCenter Update Manager database without reinstalling it