Sync updates fails in vLCM with error "Download patch definitions task failed while syncing depots. Error: integrity.fault.MetadataDownloadFailure"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Sync updates task fails on vCenter Server with the following error
  

  A general system error occurred: Download patch definitions task failed while syncing depots. Error: 'integrity.fault.MetadataDownloadFailure: Cannot download patch definitions.'.

• In /var/log/vmware/vmware-updatemgr/vum-server/vmware-vum-server.log file, there are entries similar to:

  error vmware-vum-server[10591] [Originator@6876 sub=VciSigUpdateTask.SigUpdateTask{89}] [vciSigUpdateTask 559] \n\nError downloading third party patches from :https://dl.broadcom.com/<Download Token>/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/addon-main/vmw-depot-index.xml: Error: Bulletin: hpessacli-component_5.10.45.1-7.0.0 with same name but different set of vibs already exists inside VUM. Re-importing in this scenario is not supported.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Cause

The issue is caused by the conflict between the component in VUM and the one in the software depot.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, the conflict component should be deleted in VUM.

Please ensure you have a valid VAMI-based backup or offline snapshot of vCenter before continuing.

1. Log in to vCenter server as root via SSH
2. Stop updatemgr service.
   service-control --stop updatemgr
3. Change to 'updatemgr' user
   su updatemgr -s /bin/bash
4. Run psql command to check the existence of the component in VUM
   psql -U vumuser -d VCDB -c "select * from vci_updates where meta_uid = <component_name>;"
   Note: <component_name> should be replaced with the component mentioned in vmware-vum-server.log, for example: psql -U vumuser -d VCDB -c "select * from vci_updates where meta_uid = hpessacli-component_5.10.45.1-7.0.0;"
   Note: The psql command will show below. 'Permission denied' message is not relevant and can be ignored.
5. Delete the component in VUM
   psql -U vumuser -d VCDB -c "delete from vci_updates where meta_uid = <component_name>;"
6. Logout as updatemgr user
   exit
7. As root, start updatemgr service
   service-control --start updatemgr
8. Retry "Sync Updates" and it should now work