"Error: Host cannot download files from VMware vSphere Update Manager patch store."

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• The error message is seen for selected hosts in the vCenter web client "Error: Host cannot download files from VMware vSphere Update Manager patch store."
• On an affected host, /var/run/log/esxupdate.log show:

  vmware.esximage.Errors.MetadataDownloadError: ('http://<vCenter-FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/vmw/vmw-ESXi-
  #.#.0-metadata.zip', None, "('http://<vCenter-FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/vmw/vmw-ESXi-#.#.0-metadata.zip', '/tmp/tmp6wka6hem', '<urlopen error [Errno -2] Name or service not known>')") 
  esxupdate: download from any URLs: ('http://<ESXi-FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/vmw/vib20/bnxtnet/VMW_bootbank_bnxtnet_216.0.50.0-44vmw.703.0.50.20036589.vib', '/var/vmware/lifecycle/hostSeed/reservedVibs/VMW_bootbank_bnxtnet_216.0.50.0-44vmw.703.0.50.20036589.vib', 'HTTP Error 404: Not Found')")
  ####-##-##T##:##:###Z esxupdate: 3833655: downloader: INFO: Downloading http://<ESXi-FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/vmw/vib20/i40en/VMW_bootbank_i40en_1.11.1.32-1vmw.703.0.125.23794027.vib to /var/vmware/lifecycle/hostSeed/reservedVibs/VMW_bootbank_i40en_1.11.1.32-1vmw.703.0.125.23794027.vib

• Forward and reverse lookup between the affected host and the vCenter are not perfect.
  
  

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.x

Cause

The ESXi host has faulty or missing Domain Name System (DNS) entries. This configuration prevents proper forward and reverse lookup between the affected ESXi host and the vCenter Server.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, ensure correct DNS records exist for both the vCenter Server and the ESXi host, then update the ESXi network configuration.

1. Ensure you have proper DNS records for the vCenter Server and the ESXi host on your DNS server.
2. Open a console to the affected ESXi host.
3. Log in as root.
4. Navigate to Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) settings.
5. Verify that the configured DNS server address is correct.
6. Restart the management network.
7. Refresh the vCenter web client.

Additional Information

Reference KB for configuring DNS : Configuring VMware ESXi Management Network from the direct console

The above solution is also valid for cases where vSphere HA will not enable due to DNS issue. vCenter hostname will not get resolved from ESXi host and it will not push the fdm vib.

lifecycle.log:

http://<vc-fqdn>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-Addon-cumulative_metadata__index__.xml --component vsphere-fdm:8.0.3-XXX
###-##-##T##:## Db(15) lifecycle[####]: HostImage:##Deferring initiating installers
<urlopen error [Errno -2] Name or service not known>'))"