CLI patching using software-packages

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article is to indicate the change in the behavior of software-packages CLI.

Symptoms:

Unable to patch vCenter using software-packages CLI.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.x

Resolution

This issue is resolved in VMware vCenter Server 7.0 Update 3c. 

Workaround:

Support only secure URLs

CLI patching will now support only secure URLs for patching. Insecure URLs like http and ftp urls will not be supported in CLI patching. To establish secure connection with the custom URL, you need to add CA Certificates to the trusted root store(Steps to add trusted root certificate)

Using custom URLs for patching 

update.set command to set custom URLs is not supported for 703mp1. To use secure custom url to patch with software-packages CLI command, you need to follow below steps:

1. Set custom url using update policy API. This is needed if username and password are needed for establishing connection to the URL.
   API:  https://<vc-ip>:5480/rest/appliance/update/policy
   request type: PUT
   request data:

   {     "policy":{         "auto_stage":false,         "check_schedule":[],         "certificate_check":<true/false>,         "custom_URL":"<custom-url>",         "password":"<password>",         "username":"<username>"} }

   
   
    

2. Use software packages stage command to perform stage/install
   Stage command:

   software-packages stage --url <custom-url>

   Install command:

   software-packages install --url <custom-url>