vSphere Replication & Site Recovery Manager - Failed to install update

Products

• VMware Live Recovery

Issue/Introduction

Upgrading vSphere Replication Appliance fails. 

ERROR
Operation Failed
Failed to install update.
Operation ID: df34f8b5-c6df-4268-984e-93e60e05da82
6/14/24, 10:07:22 AM -0400

The Appliance reboots after hitting the error above and displays this message, pressing keys to continue fails to boot into the appliance, ultimately requiring a snapshot rollback.  



Upgrade from VR 8.7.0.4, 23166598 > 9.0.0.1, 23690274 fails with this error 
Upgrade from VR 8.7.0.4, 23166598 > 8.8.0.3, 23263438 fails with this error

/opt/vmware/var/log/vami/updatecli.log:

09/07/2021 15:46:23 [INFO] Starting Install
09/07/2021 15:46:23 [INFO] Update status: Starting Install
09/07/2021 15:46:23 [INFO] Update status: Running pre-install scripts
.
.
.
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [ERROR] Failed with exit code 62720
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Update status: Running post-install scripts
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Running /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/data/job/2/post_install '8.7.0.15882' '9.0.0.16198' 4
+ exec
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Update status: Done post-install scripts
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Update status: Running VMware tools reconfiguration
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Running /opt/vmware/share/vami/vami_reconfigure_tools 
vmware-toolbox-cmd is /bin/vmware-toolbox-cmd
vmtoolsd wrapper not required on this VM with systemd.
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Update status: Done VMware tools reconfiguration
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Update status: Error while running package installation
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [ERROR] Failure: updatecli exiting abnormally
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Install Finished

/opt/vmware/var/log/vami/vami.log: 

14/06/2024 14:06:26 [INFO] Reboot required when installing linux package
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [INFO] Created reboot required file
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [INFO] Update 9.0.0.16198 manifest is set to be installed
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [INFO] Using update post-install script
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [INFO] Reloading new configuration. file=/opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/provider/provider-deploy.xml
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [ERROR] failed to load file /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/provider/provider-deploy.xml (Error document empty.)
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [ERROR] Unable to reload configuration file: /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/provider/provider-deploy.xml
14/06/2024 14:06:26 [INFO] Running updatecli to install updates. command={ /opt/vmware/share/vami/update/updatecli '/opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/data/job/2' '8.7.0.15882' '9.0.0.16198' ;  mv /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/data/update_progress.json /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/data/.update_progress.json ;  } >> /opt/vmware/var/log/vami/updatecli.log 2>&1 &
14/06/2024 14:06:27 [INFO] Installation running in the background
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [INFO] Reloading new configuration. file=/opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/provider/provider-deploy.xml
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [ERROR] failed to load file /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/provider/provider-deploy.xml (Error document empty.)
14/06/2024 14:07:21 [ERROR] Unable to reload configuration file: /opt/vmware/var/lib/vami/update/provider/provider-deploy.xml

Environment

vSphere Replication
VMware Live Site Recovery

Resolution

 

ALERT: This issue has been fixed in the release 9.0.2.1

vSphere Replication 9.0.2.1 | 04 DEC 2024 | Build 24404698
VMware Live Site Recovery 9.0.2.1 | 04 DEC 2024 | Build 24401766

Perform a step upgrade (This is a workaround to upgrade to the 9.x version). The upgrade path below is for vSphere Replication; follow the same upgrade path for SRM. 

1. Take a snapshot 

2. Upgrade from 8.7.0.4, 23166598 > vSphere Replication 8.8.0.3, 23263438 & reconfigure the appliance

3. Take another snapshot 

4. Upgrade from 8.8.0.3, 23263438 > vSphere Replication 9.0, 23464962 & reconfigure the appliance 

5. Take another snapshot 

6. Follow this KB to upgrade from 9.0 > 9.0.2 - VLSR - Unknown error 243 while upgrading SRM or VRMS appliances to 9.0.x 

NOTE: Always attach an ISO image after taking a snapshot and remove it before taking a snapshot to avoid getting into difficult lock releasing situations by the VM.