VCSA 8.0.3 Lifecycle Manager Plugin Upgrade Fails with "%s" Error in GUI

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

When selecting Lifecycle Manager > Upgrade Plugin in the vSphere Client for VMware vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) 8.0.3, the operation fails with a generic %s error in the GUI. The plugin upgrade never completes successfully, despite the vSphere Client logs indicating that the plugin package has been deployed.

Environment

vCenter 8.x

Cause

The precise root cause remains unidentified; however, the issue stems from a failure in the Lifecycle Manager plugin update mechanism within the vSphere Client, preventing the synchronization of the registration info with the plugin package version.

Resolution

To mitigate this issue and proceed with the necessary vCenter Server updates, utilize the vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) as a workaround.

Prerequisites: Take a snapshot of the vCenter Server Appliance before proceeding with any update operations.
Workaround:
1. Instead of using the Lifecycle Manager > Upgrade Plugin workflow in the vSphere Client, perform the vCenter Server update directly through the VAMI (typically accessible at port 5480).
2. Navigate to the Update section in the VAMI.
3. Verify the update repository and proceed with the update installation.