Failed to validate VUM depots due to "Duplicate definitions of bulletin Dell_iSM_ESXi6_ISM360-2249 with unequal attributes"

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Update manager Sync Depot task fails
• Update manager logs on vCenter server reports /var/log/vmware/vmware-updatemgr/vmware-vum-server.log:

YYYY-MM-DD error vmware-vum-server[16##90] [Originator@6876 sub=ServiceProvider] [EmbeddedPyServiceProvider 1584] Failed to validate depots: https://vmwaredepot.dell.com/index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/main/vmw-depot-index.xml,https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/addon-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/iovp-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/vmtools-main/vmw-depot-index.xml
YYYY-MM-DD error vmware-vum-server[16##90] [Originator@6876 sub=com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.SyncDepotsTask] [SyncDepotsTask ###] Failed to sync depots. Merged depot content is invalid: Error:
-->    com.vmware.vapi.std.errors.error
--> Messages:
-->    com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.depotContent.ValidationError<A depot is inaccessible or has invalid contents. Make sure an official depot source is used and verify connection to the depot.>
-->
YYYY-MM-DD  info vmware-vum-server[16##90] [Originator@6876 sub=com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.SyncDepotsTask] [Task, 524] Task:com.vmware.vcIntegrity.lifecycle.SyncDepotsTask ID:526d23bf-####-ace7-####-a9140d5145e8. Task State updated to FAILED

• Update manager logs on vCenter server reports /var/log/vmware/vmware-updatemgr/imageservice.log:

YYYY-MM-DD ERROR imageService[140110####78432] [DepotMgr 51] Unable to connect to depot(s) https://vmwaredepot.dell.com/index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/addon-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/iovp-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/vmtools-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/main/vmw-depot-index.xml: Duplicate definitions of bulletin Dell_iSM_ESXi6_ISM360-2249 with unequal attributes.
YYYY-MM-DD ERROR imageService[140110####78432] [DepotMgr 51] Unable to connect to depot(s) https://vmwaredepot.dell.com/index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/addon-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/iovp-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/vmtools-main/vmw-depot-index.xml, https://dl.broadcom.com/download-token/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/main/vmw-depot-index.xml: Duplicate definitions of bulletin Dell_iSM_ESXi6_ISM360-2249 with unequal attributes.
YYYY-MM-DD ERROR imageService[140110####78432] [imageService 628] Failed to validate depot: Duplicate definitions of bulletin Dell_iSM_ESXi6_ISM360-2249 with unequal attributes.

• Removing the Dell bulletin from Lifecycle Manager > Settings > Patch Setup and Resyncing the depots does not help

Cause

The error occurs because a non-properly managed online depot (the Dell depot in this case) is not correctly removed from the disk even if deleted from the UI and re-synced. The micro depots are still loaded into memory, leading to a bulletin conflict. This generally happens when bundling VIBs with the same bulletin IDs.

Resolution

1. Take a fresh snapshot of the vCenter server 
2. Reset the VUM database, refer the KB: Resetting the VMware Update Manager Database 
3. Add the patch setup URL's with download token: Error: A general system error occurred: Failed to download VIB(s): Error: HTTP Error Code: 403, vLCM fails to download the ESXi patches and images from online repositories

Note: If VUM db cannot be reset, please reach out to Broadcom Support referring this KB article in the case description.