Host remediation fails with error: "Cannot download VIB: This might be because of network issues or the specified VIB does NOT exist or does NOT have a proper 'read' privilege set."

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Host remediation from LCM fails with below error

• Cannot download VIB: ''. This might be because of network issues or the specified VIB does NOT exist or does NOT have a proper 'read' privilege set. Please make sure the specified VIB exists and is accessible from vCenter Server.
  
• A general system error occurred: Cannot download VIB 'https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/esx/vmw/vib20/xxx/xxxxxxx.vib'. This might be because of network issues or the specified VIB does NOT exist or does NOT have a proper 'read' privilege set. Make sure the specified VIB exists and is accessible from vCenter Server.


Cause

The host remediation fails due to a metadata mismatch caused by previously synced updates that do not align with the updated download URLs configured with the current download token in Lifecycle Manager (LCM).

Resolution

1. Reset VMware Update Manager Database
   • Resetting the VMware Update Manager Database

     • Process to Reset the VMware Update Manager Database on a VCSA 6.5, 6.7, 7.0, or 8.0

       Caution: Resetting the Update Manager database is a destructive task. Custom baselines (but not Cluster Images), custom download settings and manually imported patches/ISOs will be removed and will need to be reapplied following the reset. Before applying the steps below, take a backup or an offline-snapshot (in powered-off state) of the vCenter Server. If the vCenter Server is part of an ELM environment, take a snapshot or a backup of all vCenters within the ELM domain. Note all of the custom configurations within Update Manager - e.g. proxy settings, third party download URLs, customized baselines, etc. - before proceeding.  Refer the KB for offline snapshot of vCenter VMware vCenter in Enhanced Linked Mode pre-changes snapshot (online or offline) best practice
       1. SSH to the vCenter via root
       2. If not in BASH shell, switch to the BASH Shell
          

          shell

       3. Stop the VMware Update Manager Service

          service-control --stop vmware-updatemgr

       4. Depending on the vCenter version, run one of the following commands to reset the VMware Update Manager Database:
          1. vCenter Server Appliance 6.5:

             /usr/lib/vmware-updatemgr/bin/updatemgr-util reset-db

          2. vCenter Server Appliance 6.7/7.0/8.0:

             python /usr/lib/vmware-updatemgr/bin/updatemgr-utility.py reset-db

       5. Delete the contents of the VMware Update Manager Patch Store

          rm -rf /storage/updatemgr/patch-store/*

       6. Start the VMware Update Manager Service

          service-control --start vmware-updatemgr

2. Initiate Host remediation once Sync Updates is completed in LCM

Additional Information

This issue can also be caused by an incorrect authenticated download token being configured. See Unable to patch ESXI 7 hosts with error "cannot download VIB" error due to entitlement issues