ESXi Hosts fail to install "vmware-hbr-agent.vib"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

•  Hosts fail to install vmware-hbr-agent vib.
  
  
• Following error observed in vSphere Client (every minute):
  "An error occurred during host configuration: /usr/sbin/esxupdate returned with exit status: 7"
  
  
  
  
• ESXi hosts report the following errors:
  
  In /var/run/log/esxupdate.log:
  
  

  2025-08-02T17:10:10Z Er(11) esxupdate[2169780]: raise Errors.VibDownloadError(url, None, str(e))
  2025-08-02T17:10:10Z Er(11) esxupdate[2169780]: esximage.Errors.VibDownloadError: ('https://VR_FQDN.com:443/vib/vmware-hbr-agent.vib', None, "('https://VR_FQDN.com:443/vib/vmware-hbr-agent.vib', '', '<urlopen error timed out>')")
  
  2025-08-02T17:12:15Z In(14) esxupdate[2171097]: Opening https://VR_FQDN.com:443/vib/vmware-hbr-agent.vib for download
  2025-08-02T17:12:48Z Wa(12) esxupdate[2171097]: Download failed: <urlopen error timed out>, 4 retry left...
  2025-08-02T17:13:21Z Wa(12) esxupdate[2171097]: Download failed: <urlopen error timed out>, 3 retry left...
  2025-08-02T17:13:54Z Wa(12) esxupdate[2171097]: Download failed: <urlopen error timed out>, 2 retry left...
  2025-08-02T17:14:27Z Wa(12) esxupdate[2171097]: Download failed: <urlopen error timed out>, 1 retry left...

 

• vCenter has following error confirming host throwing error while installing VIB:
  
  In /var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log:
  
  

  -- > (vim. fault.PlatformConfigFault) {
  
  faultCause = (vmodl.MethodFault) null,
  
  faultMessage = <unset>,
  
  text = "/usr/sbin/esxupdate returned with exit status: 7"
  
  msg = "An error occurred during host configuration: /usr/sbin/esxupdate returned with exit status: 7."

 

Environment

ESXi 8.0

vSphere Replication 9.0.2

Cause

Port 443 needed for ESXi host to download vmware-hbr-agent vib from vSphere Replication Appliance is blocked.

Resolution

1. Blocked port 443 from ESXi host to vSphere Replication Appliance opened on external firewall.
   
   
2. Once port connectivity established, vmware-hbr-agent vib install completes.

Additional Information

VMware Ports and Protocols