Error: The vCenter Server is not able to reach the specified URL. Ensure that the vCenter Server is connected to the internet, the specified URL is correct, and the latest version(s) is available on the VMware online repository.

Products

VMware vCenter Server VMware vCenter Server 7.0 VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

vCenter Server patching via VAMI fails to download the updates from Broadcom public repositories.
VAMI Updates tab will show any of following error messages:
The vCenter Server is not able to reach the specified URL. Ensure that the vCenter Server is connected to the internet, the specified URL is correct, and the latest version(s) is available on the VMware online repository. If the issue persists, please contact VMware Support.
Error seen on VAMI UI "Check the URL and try again."

Steps: Login to VC VAMI UI (https://vcenter_server_fqdn/IP:5480) > Update .

Authentication failure. Enter a valid user name and password, and try again.
vCenter VAMI update, Error: "Network failure. Check the network settings and try again."

Validation:

Error seen from vCenter "Configured repository is not accessible due to network connectivity or incorrect URL. Verify the repository settings."

Steps for vCenter 7.x: Select vCenter > Updates > Update Planner.
Error seen from vCenter "Configured repository is not accessible due to network connectivity or incorrect URL."

Steps for vCenter 8.x: select vCenter > Updates > Prechecks > select target version "SELECT VERSION" .

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.x
VMware vCenter Server 9.x

Cause

As public facing repository URLs and authentication mechanisms are changing, download URLs are no longer common but unique to you.
Download URLs need to be re-configured.

Resolution

Steps to Update vCenter Download URL with Token

Download the Token
- Obtain the token from the Broadcom Support Portal by following the steps in VCF Authenticated Downloads Configuration Update Instructions.
- If the token is already available, proceed with the steps below

Note: Scripted method to update the URLs are available in Authenticated Download Configuration Update Script.

2. Manual Update via VAMI

- Login to VC VAMI UI → https://<vcenter_server_fqdn or IP>:5480
- Navigate to Update tab
- Click Settings
- Use the Default URL and replace it with the Specified URL containing your <downloadToken> as shown below.
  
  vCenter Server 7.x:
  
  From:
  
  Default: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/<current_version>.latestTo:Specified: https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/<current_version>/e.g.:
  
  From:
  
  Default: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/7.0.3.00800.latest/
  
  To:
  
  Specified: https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/7.0.3.00800/
  
  vCenter Server 8.x

From:

Default: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/<current_version>.latest

To:

Specified: https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/<current_version>/

e.g.:

From:

Default: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/8.0.3.00400.latest/ To:

Specified: https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/8.0.3.00400/

vCenter Server 9.0

From:

Default: https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3//<current_version>/

To:

Specified: https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/<current_version>/

e.g.:

From:

Default: https://vapp-updates.broadcom.com/vai-catalog/valm/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/9.0.0.0/

To:

Specified: https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/9.0.0.0/

Note: Replace <downloadToken> with the actual downloaded token id.

- Update the Specified URL field in VAMI and click Save.

- The entitled releases should now be listed from the updated URL.

Notes:

1. Migration / Restore / Failover

The custom URL is not preserved after migration upgrade, FBBR restore and VCHA failover.

2. Network / Proxy

If a proxy device exists between vCenter and the internet, ensure it allows communication to the new URL.

3. Patching

Further patches automatically update the default URL.
- Example: upgrading from 8.0.3.00400 → 8.0.3.00500 updates the URL to end in 8.0.3.00500.
When a custom/specified URL with token is saved in VAMI, CLI patching will not pick this URL.

1. On 7.x VCSA:
  
  Specified URL used : https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/7.0.3.02200
  1. If the Specified URL is set in VAMI UI but not reflected in the config file /etc/applmgmt/appliance/update.conf and running update.get still points to the vapp-updates Default URL,
    - Use update.set from appliancesh to set the Specified URL as a workaround.
    - Without setting the Specified URL, stage/install will continue to use the Default URL.
  2. Another observation: If the source vCenter Server is 7.0 Update 2 or earlier, and the Specified URL is https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/7.0.3.02200, the vCenter Server upgrades to 7.0.3.02200 instead of 7.0.3.02300.
    - To work around this, set the Specified URL manually using update.set in appliancesh.

Additional Information

"Error copying packages", updates using online repositories fails if updates are attempted with the token which does not have entitlement for the specific product version.
The following link can be used by your network team if a trace is necessary to identify any network issues impacting this download:

https://dl.broadcom.com/<downloadToken>/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d167796-34d5-4899-be0a-6daade4005a3/8.0.3.00500/package-pool/patch-metadata-scripts.zip