"An error occurred while connecting to depot" when trying to update the ESXi host using cluster image.
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"An error occurred while connecting to depot" when trying to update the ESXi host using cluster image.

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Article ID: 398817

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vCenter Server VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

  • Compliance check or remediation on a cluster using an image-based configuration fails with error: "An error occurred while connecting to depot or Software Solution com.vmware.nsxt... cannot be found in depot"
  • ESXi host /var/run/log/lifecycle.log shows below symptoms :
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: DepotCollection:331 INFO Could not download from depot at http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml, skipping (('http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml', '', '<urlopen error timed out>'))
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: DepotMgr:161 ERROR Unable to connect to depot(s) http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml:  ('http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml', '', "Could not download from depot at http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml, skipping (('http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml', '', '<urlopen error timed out>'))") NoneType: None
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:152 ERROR [DepotConnectError] ([MetadataDownloadError('http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml', '', "Could not download from depot at http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml, skipping (('http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml', '', '<urlopen error timed out>'))")], 'Unable to connect to depot(s) http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml: \n(\'http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml\', \'\', "Could not download from depot at http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml, skipping ((\'http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml\', \'\', \'<urlopen error timed out>\'))")')
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR Traceback (most recent call last):
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/usr/lib/vmware/lifecycle/bin/imagemanagerctl.py", line 639, in software
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     t.ScanImage(swSpec, opts.depots, opts.taskId)
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Transaction.py", line 1749, in ScanImage
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     newPatcherComp, newPatcherVibs = _getPatcherFromImageSpec(imageSpec,
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Transaction.py", line 2484, in _getPatcherFromImageSpec
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     specMgr = _getSoftwareSpecMgr(imageSpec, depotUrls)
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/Transaction.py", line 2603, in _getSoftwareSpecMgr
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     depotMgr = DepotMgr.DepotMgr(depotSpec, connect=True)
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/ImageManager/DepotMgr.py", line 101, in __init__
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     self._connect(ignoreError=ignoreError, validate=validate)
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/ImageManager/DepotMgr.py", line 172, in _connect
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     _raiseError(depotUrls, errors)
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR   File "/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/vmware/esximage/ImageManager/DepotMgr.py", line 162, in _raiseError
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR     raise DepotConnectError(errors, msg)
    YYYY-MM-DD-THH:MM:SS lifecycle: 3231338: imagemanagerctl:157 ERROR vmware.esximage.Errors.DepotConnectError: ([MetadataDownloadError('http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index__.xml', '', "Could not download from depot at http://<vCenter FQDN>:9084/vum/repository/hostupdate/__micro-depot__vendor-DEL__metadata-233__index
  • Unable to Patch ESX Host
  • Will not complete a compliance check.
  • "Host Status is Unknown" - Compliance Check Failure

Cause

This issue typically occurs because the ESXi host cannot establish a connection to the vCenter Server on TCP Port 9084.

In vLCM-managed clusters, the ESXi hosts must be able to pull software bundles directly from the vCenter software depot over this port. If an intermediate firewall or security group blocks this traffic, the host will be unable to download the required NSX or vendor-specific VIBs.

Resolution

  1. Verify Network Connectivity

    Log in to the affected ESXi host via SSH and test the connection to the vCenter Server's software depot port.
    Review this command before running it

    nc -z <vCenter-FQDN-or-IP> 9084

    Success: Connection to <vCenter-IP> 9084 port [tcp/*] succeeded!
    Failure:    nc: connect to <vCenter-IP> port 9084 (tcp) failed: Connection refused or a timeout.

  2. Alternative Diagnostic (If Netcat is Unavailable)

    If nc is not present, use curl to verify the port state:

    curl -v telnet://<vCenter-FQDN-or-IP>:9084

  3. Remediation Steps
    • Modify Firewall Rules: Ensure that TCP Port 9084 is open for ESXi-to-vCenter traffic. Note that this is a bidirectional requirement in many stateful firewall environments.
    • DNS Verification: Ensure the ESXi host can resolve the vCenter FQDN. If the host can reach the IP but not the FQDN, the depot URL in the logs will fail.
    • Retry Remediation: Once connectivity is confirmed, return to the vSphere UI and trigger the Remediate or Check Compliance task for the cluster.

Additional Information

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