ESXi upgrade pre-check fails on HPE hosts due to iSUT configuration

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

Systems using vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) to manage ESXi, vendor add-on components, and firmware may encounter the following error when upgrading.

This occurs during the remediation pre-check, vLCM detects that the service required to stage and deploy updates and reboot the server (iSUT) is either not running or not set to Auto Deploy.

• Error: “Skipping remediation of host due to potentially transient reasons.”
  
  
  
  
• One or more firmware items in the package require that Smart Update Tools(iSUT) version 2.5.5 or later be installed on the OS, and configured in AutoDeploy mode
  
  

 

Integrated Smart Update Tools (iSUT) for ESXi is a utility that assists in performing online software and firmware updates on a system that uses tools such as HPE OneView, iLO Amplifier Pack, or SUM via the iLO management network.

iSUT has 4 modes:

• • OnDemand
  • AutoStage
  • AutoDeploy
  • AutoDeployReboot

The default install mode is OnDemand mode. In OnDemand mode, iSUT does not perform any updates automatically. When set to AutoDeploy, iSUT runs as a service and polls the iLO for requested updates from external tools. Once detected, iSUT can perform the following actions:

• Just stage the updates
• Stage and deploy
• Stage, deploy and reboot

With iSUT set to AutoDeploy, vSphere Lifecycle Manager can ensure consistency of ESXi, vendor addon, and firmware at a cluster level using the desired image. You can find the latest documentation for iSUT in HPE’s SUT information Library website at Smart Update Tools (SUT).

Environment

vSphere 9.0

vSphere 8.0

vSphere 7.0

Cause

vLCM invokes Hardware Support Manager (HSM) to perform firmware update pre-checks.

The HPE HSM reports an error if the minimum required version of iSUT (2.5.5) is not installed, or if iSUT is not configured in Auto mode. In Auto iSUT mode, the service responsible for staging and deploying firmware updates and rebooting the server must be running and set to AutoDeploy.

Resolution

Ensure the iSUT service is set to AutoDeploy on the ESXi,

1. Log in to ESXi host.
2. Set the iSUT mode to AutoDeploy Mode
   

   sut -set mode=AutoDeploy

3. To view how iSUT is current configured:
   

   sut -exportconfig

   

4.  To check what version is installed you can run:

          sut -version 

Note: If the above steps do not resolve the issue, please contact the hardware vendor (HPE) for further assistance.