Live Patch functionality requirements and remediation behavior for ESXi in vSphere 8.0 Update 3

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware Telco Cloud Platform

Issue/Introduction

Understanding why the "Enforce Live Patch" setting in the vSphere Client does not prevent host reboots is critical when managing clusters with ESXi 7.0 U3 hosts or those using legacy Baselines. This article outlines the architectural prerequisites for using Live Patching and explains expected remediation behavior for unsupported configurations.

Symptoms:

1. The "Enforce Live Patch" option is missing from the Baselines remediation settings.
   
   
   
   
2. The "Enforce Live Patch" option appears visible and "Enabled" under the Images remediation settings, but hosts still enter Maintenance Mode and reboot during remediation.
   
   
   
   
3. This inconsistency occurs because the Live Patching capability requires specific host and cluster-level configurations that are not met in legacy Baseline-managed environments or with ESXi 7.0 U3 hosts.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.0.3.01000 Build 25600417

ESXi 8.0 U3 Build 24022510

ESXi 7.0 U3

Legacy Baseline remediation

Telco Cloud Platform: 5.0

Cause

The Live Patching feature is fundamentally unsupported on ESXi 7.0 U3. This capability was officially introduced in vSphere 8.0 U3. Furthermore, Live Patching exclusively requires the cluster to be managed by a single vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) Image; it does not function with clusters using legacy Baselines.

Resolution

To utilize the Live Patch functionality, complete the following steps:

1. Upgrade ESXi Hosts: Remediate and upgrade the ESXi hosts to version 8.0 Update 3 or higher. For steps to download this release, see
   
   
   1. See Download latest ISOs and patches for vSphere ESXi for steps to download this release.
      
      
2. Convert Cluster Management: Transition the cluster from using Baselines to a single vLCM Image. Note that once converted, you cannot revert to Baselines.
   
   
   1. For instructions, see Switching from Using Baselines to Images
      
      
3. Configure Desired State: Define the vLCM image with a compatible ESXi 8.0 U3+ version.
   
   
4. Verify Settings: Navigate to the cluster Updates tab, select Images, and ensure Enforce Live Patch is enabled in the remediation settings.
   
   
5. Execute Pre-check: Execute Pre-check: Run a pre-check prior to remediation to confirm all hosts are suitable for a Live Patch.
   
   
6. Remediate the cluster: Execute the remediation task.

Additional Information

1. For more details, see Configuring vSphere Lifecycle Manager for Live Patches
   
   
2. For defect and enhancement updates, recommend the user subscribe to the article at KB# 275360
   
   
3. To speak with a customer representative or a Support Engineer see https://support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/contact-support