Steps to update vSphere Lifecycle Manager patch depot URLs

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• Default software depot URLs have updated to dl.broadcom.com and now require unique, token-based authentication. Download URLs are now specific to each account rather than shared across environments. To maintain access to updates, patches, and image definitions via vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM), configure your patch download source with a valid Broadcom download token and the updated source URLs.

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Resolution

1. Obtain the authenticated download token from the Broadcom Support portal. Refer to VCF authenticated downloads configuration update instructions.

2. Disable default vLCM URLs:

   1. In the vCenter UI, navigate to Menu > Lifecycle Manager > Settings > Patch Setup.

   2. Select and disable the existing VMware repository URLs (e.g., hostupdate.vmware.com).

3. Configure new URLs: Click NEW to add the following Broadcom URLs, replacing <Download Token> with the token generated in step 1:

   1. In the vCenter UI, navigate to Menu > Lifecycle Manager > Settings > Patch Setup.

      1. https://dl.broadcom.com/<Download Token>/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/main/vmw-depot-index.xml

      2. https://dl.broadcom.com/<Download Token>/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/addon-main/vmw-depot-index.xml

      3. https://dl.broadcom.com/<Download Token>/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/iovp-main/vmw-depot-index.xml

      4. https://dl.broadcom.com/<Download Token>/PROD/COMP/ESX_HOST/vmtools-main/vmw-depot-index.xml

4. Log in to the vCenter Server as root via SSH and restart update manager service: service-control --restart vmware-updatemgr

5. Sync updates in vCenter UI: Navigate to Menu > Lifecycle Manager > Actions > Sync updates.

Additional Information

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 - vLCM/ESXi