Getting error "Structure 'com.vmware.vcenter.lcm.deployment.migration_upgrade.status.task' has a union that is missing a required field 'end_time' for this case" when performing vCenter server upgrade using Reduced Downtime Upgrade method(RDU).

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Unable to update vCenter server using Reduced downtime Upgrade(RDU) method due to error "Structure 'com.vmware.vcenter.lcm.deployment.migration_upgrade.status.task' has a union that is missing a required field 'end_time' for this case" 
• The upgrade steps won't proceed from step:3 'Upgrade Plug-in' vCenter server Life-Cycle Manager shows error "Failed to load repository manifest data for the configured upgrade'.
• Mount the ISO file option displays error "The version of the attached ISO file is different from the version you are using for this operation'.
• Unable to discard the upgrade process in order to continue the upgrade steps.  
  
  

• In some cases, there is no error but just a red rectangle:
  
  
  The log /var/log/vmware/vlcm/vlcm.log  shows errors as below:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone> info vlcm [vmomiclient/client.go:## [opID=] Get VMOMI client: client(active:#, conn:[*(token), localhost:####], http://localhost:####/sdk) reused 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone>  info vlcm [vmomiclient/client.go:##] [opID=] Release VMOMI client: client(active:#, conn:[*(token), localhost:####], http://localhost:####/sdk) 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone>  error vlcm [logger/teelogger.go:##] [opID=vapi] Structure 'com.vmware.vcenter.lcm.deployment.migration_upgrade.status.task' has a union that is missing a required field 'end_time' for this case 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone>  error vlcm [logger/teelogger.go:##] [opID=vapi] Invalid value for key 'post_upgrade_tasks' 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone>  error vlcm [logger/teelogger.go:##] [opID=vapi] Invalid field 'subtasks' in structure 'com.vmware.vcenter.lcm.deployment.migration_upgrade.status.info' 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone>  error vlcm [logger/teelogger.go:##] [opID=vapi] Invalid output 
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###<Time_Zone>  info vlcm [auth/session.go:###] Got session for [email protected] 

Environment

vCenter server 8.0 U3

Cause

The issue is caused by the 'ndu.json' file retaining information from a previous upgrade failure.

Resolution

• SSH into the vCenter Server and enter the shell:
  
  
• Stop the VLCM service:
  
     service-control --stop vlcm
  
  
• Move or rename the ndu.json file located at '/var/lib/vmware-vlcm/ndu.json':
  
     mv /var/lib/vmware-vlcm/ndu.json /var/lib/vmware-vlcm/ndu.json_bkp
  
  
• Start the VLCM service: 
  
     service-control --start vlcm
  
  
• Log in to the vSphere UI, navigate to the Upgrade tab, and click the Discard option.