Updates using online repositories fails if updates are attempted with the token which does not have entitlement for the specific product version

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

vCenter Server patching fails with any of the following error message after updating the token by following the steps in KB VCF Authenticated downloads Configuration Update Instructions:

Error copying packages:



Update is not staged:



[Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/storage/updatemgr/software-updatexxxxxx/stage/update/patching_backup_config.json':



Error in method invocation Timeout happens while sending message to microservice:

 

Log Location-/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/microservice.log

YYYY-MM-DD 05:35:32, 647 - 23088 - update_functions target ::-- waitretry 1 -- connect-timeout 10 -r -np -nH -nd -A -P /storage/seat/software-update 4ftl1ri/stage https://dl.broadcom.com/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
W/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/8d16xyz../8.0.3.00600/package-pool/010cbb2b1373b111b91e0d827a4423df0499fe206404022b92ca81add4eae3d7.blob

YYYY-MM-DD 05:35:33,393 - 23088 - update_functions target :::35:32 -- https://dl.broadcom. com/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX/PROD/COMP/VCENTER/vmw/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX5a3/8.0.3.00600/package-pool/010cb
2b1373b111b91e0d827a4423df0499fe206404022b92ca81add4eae3d7.blob\nResolving dl.broadcom. com ... , 10.x.x.x, 2606: 4700: 7: : a5, ... \nConnectin
to dl.broadcom.com|10.x.x.x| :443 ... connected. \nHTTP request sent, awaiting response ... \n HTTP/1.1 403 Forbidden\n Date: Fri, 19 Dec YYYY 05:35:3
GMT\n Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8\n Content-Length: 12\n Connection: keep-alive\n
Server: cloudflare\n2025-12-19 05:35:33 ERROR 403: Forbidden. \n\n'ERROR - Exception staging containers

 

Environment

7.x
8.x

Cause

• The token does not have the entitlement for the specific version selected
• The token is expired

Resolution

Cleanup the update state with the below steps and retry the update with a valid token:

1. Delete the patching db:
   
   rm /storage/db/patching.db
   
   
2. Check if the file: /storage/core/software-update/stage/stageDir.json is present, and check its content - 
   
   cat /storage/core/software-update/stage/stageDir.json
   
   
3. If above file is present, it would give a stagedir location something similar to "/storage/<subdir>/software-updatexxxx". If so, delete this folder and files with command:
   
   rm -rf /storage/<subdir>/software-updatexxxx
rm -rf /storage/core/software-update/stage/stageDir.json
   
   
4. Clean up the state file
   
   rm /etc/applmgmt/appliance/software_update_state.conf
   
   
5. Configure valid token based on the entitlement -  VCF Authenticated downloads Configuration Update
6. Retry the vCenter Server patching

Additional Information

This issue can also occur due to an incorrect Download Token generated against the incorrect Site ID. 
The vCenter license must be tied to the same Site ID used to generate the Download Token.