SDWAN Edge not booting on activation if factory version is ≥ 5.0.0

Products

• VMware SD-WAN by VeloCloud

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

VMware Edge activation failure occurs causing edge to become non-bootable if the activation is attempted while the Edge updates its factory software image in the background. The issue arises only if all of the following are true:

• The Edge’s factory software image is older than the latest version available for download at the Factory Software Image Server (Maestro service), triggering an automatic update in the background
• The activation requires the installation of a software version specified in the Image Update policy
• As a result, the two installers attempt to modify the boot partition simultaneously

Environment

VMware SD-WAN by VeloCloud

Cause

This issue is caused by known issue 135544

Resolution

This defect is fixed in the following Vmware SD-WAN Edge software builds:

• 5.2.2: R5222-20240223-GA-29802b54f4 or newer
• 5.2.3: R5230-20240313-GA-da68480549 or newer
• 5.4.0: R5401-20240224-GA-b8cdaadde8 or newer

For more information please see VMware SD-WAN Software Upgrade FAQs

Workaround:

One can reduce the failure chances greatly by performing the following steps:

• Power on the edge with the Internet access
• Wait for 15 minutes or so.  Please observe the cloud LED on applicable edges:
  • Leave the edge alone if the LED flashes blue.  This indicates that it’s performing a software upgrade or factory image update.  Any operations like activation, rebooting, and power cycling, can make it non-bootable
  • You may proceed with the next step without waiting once the LED stops flashing blue
• Activate the edge as usual

Additional Information

For edges running 5.0.0 or newer, when powered on and connected to network, will also reach out to the Maestro service. They will perform an MR update if edges have an older MR version. The process involves downloading MR from Maestro and performing MR update, which can take minutes. Edges may simultaneously start installing the software version specified by VCO after successfully activated.  The process involves downloading software from VCO and performing a software update, which can also take minutes. This defect occurs when the above happens concurrently and the software to be installed does not have the fix. 



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