Workload Domain Image Not Appearing as Option for Update

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager

Issue/Introduction

After upgrading an ESXi Host, a newly created Host vendor image in SDDC Manager (Lifecycle Management > Image Management) or a Host Image with vendor addons is not appearing under a Workload Domain's Updates tab as an available option for updates. 

Environment

VMware SDDC Manager 

Cause

The image is configured with the same ESXi version that is running on the host. SDDC manager only compares the version and build numbers of the hosts and image to see if it can update/upgrade and since including the addon doesn't change those numbers SDDC believes the cluster is up to date. 

Resolution

Vendor addons can be added via the cluster's image in vSphere Lifecycle Manager. See below for additional information on setting up vSphere Cluster Images.

Additional Information

vSphere Instructions: Set Up a New Image Manually:

1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to a cluster or host that you manage with baselines and baseline groups.
2. On the Updates tab, click Image.
3. Click the Set up image manually button.
   • vSphere Lifecycle Manager starts checking if the cluster or host is eligible for using images. If no problems are reported, the Convert to an Image pane appears.
4. If the Check cluster's eligibility to be managed with a single image or Check host's eligibility to be managed with a single image tasks report an error or a warning that requires an action, resolve the issue and restart the procedure.
5. From the ESXi Version drop-down menu, select an ESXi image.
6. Add a vendor add-on to the image.
   1. Click Select.
   2. The Select Vendor Addon appears.
   3. Select an add-on from the list.
   4. An information panel appears on the right. The information panel shows information about the components that the add-on adds to the ESXi image and the components that it removes from the image.
   5. From the Version column use the drop-down menu for the selected add-on and select the add-on version.
   6. Click Select.
7. Add a firmware and drivers add-on to the image.
   1. Click Select.
   2. The Select Firmware and Drivers Addon appears.
   3. Select a hardware support manager from the respective drop-down menu.
   4. A list of firmware and drivers add-ons appears.
   5. Select an add-on from the list.
   6. An information panel appears on the right. The information panel shows information about the supported ESXi versions and whether the add-on contains a driver or not.
   7. From the Version column use the drop-down menu for the selected add-on and select the add-on version.
   8. Click Select.
8. Manage the additional components of the image.
   1. Click Show details.
   2. Click Add components.
   3. The Add Components dialog box appears.
   4. Use the Show drop-down menu to sift out the components that are not part of the selected vendor add-on.
   5. Select one or multiple components from the list.
   6. An information panel appears on the right. The information panel shows information about the component that you selected first.
   7. From the Version column use the drop-down menu for the selected component to select the component version.Click Select.
   8. The selected components appear in the list of components that the image contains. You can use the Show drop-down menu to sift out the additional components. For example, you can list only the customized components.
   9. From the Notes column, click the trash icon to remove a component.Click Hide details to hide the list of components.
9. To validate the image, click the Validate button.
   • You validate an image to check for missing dependencies and component conflicts.
10. Click Save.
    • Saving the image triggers an automatic compliance check. All hosts in the cluster or the standalone host are checked against the image.
11. In the Convert to an Image pane, finish the image setup.
    1. Click the Finish image setup button.
    2. In the Finish image setup dialog box, click Yes, finish image setup.

You set up an image for the cluster or standalone host. You now manage all hosts in the cluster collectively or the standalone host with a vSphere Lifecycle Manager image for the cluster or host. Upon remediation, the image is installed on all hosts in the cluster or the standalone host.