vLCM remediation fails with vSAN health error on vSAN ESA using baselines

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to update ESXi hosts using a VMware vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) Baseline, the pre-check or remediation fails. The following errors are observed in the vSphere Client:

• "VMware vSphere Lifecycle Manager had an unknown error. Check the events and log files for details."
  
  
• "vSAN health check failed. Remediation will not succeed until VSAN health issues are resolved. Cluster health - vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) configuration."
  
  
• "Before upgrade, pre-check remediation failed because vSAN health check failed."

  "vSAN health check failed
  Remediation will not succeed until VSAN health issues are resolved.
  Cluster health - vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) configuration

• The /var/log/vmware/vmware-updatemgr/vum-server/vmware-vum-server.log may report the following health check failure: com.vmware.vsan.health.test.vsanesavlcmcheck failed

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 8.x and higher
• VMware ESXi 8.x and higher
• VMware vSAN Express Storage Architecture (ESA) 8.0 and higher 

Cause

The cluster is running vSAN Express Storage Architecture (ESA) and is attempting to use legacy vLCM Baselines (formerly VUM) for lifecycle management. For a vSAN ESA cluster, vLCM using a Single Image is the only supported method for upgrading or patching the cluster. Legacy baselines are explicitly disallowed to ensure uniform configuration and architectural integrity

Resolution

To resolve this issue, you must transition the vSAN ESA cluster lifecycle management from Baselines to a single Cluster Image.

1. Log in to the vSphere Client and navigate to the impacted vSAN ESA cluster.
2. Go to Updates > Hosts > Baselines.
3. Select the option to Manage with a single image to transition the cluster's lifecycle methodology.
4. Navigate to Updates > Image > SET UP IMAGE MANUALLY or IMPORT IMAGE.
5. Configure the Cluster Image with the target ESXi version, necessary vendor add-ons, and firmware/driver packages.
6. Save the Image configuration.
7. Run a new vLCM pre-check against the cluster to verify health and compliance.
8. Remediate the ESXi hosts using the newly configured Cluster Image.

Additional Information

For more detailed information regarding vSAN ESA lifecycle requirements and the transition to Cluster Images, refer to  vSAN Health Service - Cluster health - vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) configuration