Install PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere by using vCenter Update Manager and UMDS

Products

VMware vCenter Server VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

You can install or update PowerPath/VE on hosts running ESX/ESXi 4.0 and later by using Update Manager 4.0 Update 1 and later, together with UMDS.

You can download the necessary files to install PowerPath/VE as a ZIP archive from the EMC Powerlink Web site.

This article covers a scenario where the Update Manager server works together with UMDS. For instructions on installing PowerPath/VE in an environment without UMDS, see

Install PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere by using vCenter Update Manager (1018740).

HOWTO 101: EMC PowerPathVE Install (Video)

PowerPath/VE Downloads

PowerPath/VE and supported ESX/ESXi versions

EMC PowerPath/VE release

Supported VMware ESX/ESXi version

ESX 4.0

ESXi 4.0

ESX 4.0 U1/U2

ESXi 4.0 U1/U2

ESX 4.1

ESXi 4.1

ESXi 5.0

ESXi 5.1

5.4

Yes - vCLI install only

No

5.4 SP1

Yes - vCLI install only

Yes - Update Manager and vCLI install

Yes - vCLI install only

No

5.4 SP2

No

Yes - VUM and vCLI install

No

5.7.0.1

No

Yes

No

5.7.0.2

No

Yes

5.8.0

No

Yes

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware vCenter Update Manager 5.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware vCenter Update Manager 4.1.x
VMware vCenter Update Manager 5.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware vCenter Update Manager 4.0.x

Resolution

To install PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere by using vCenter Update Manager and UMDS:

Unzip the contents of the PowerPath/VE ZIP archive in the root directory of a Web server that Update Manager can access.

In the PowerPath distribution bundle, the name of the ZIP file is of the format EMCPower.VMWARE.x.x.bxxx.ONLINE.zip.
If you are using Windows Internet Information Services (IIS), ensure that directory browsing is enabled, and add .vib, .sig, and .xml as allowed MIME types for the Web server.
For more information about configuring IIS and Apache as a shared repository or a patch source, see the common user scenarios in the vCenter Update Manager Administration Guide or Configure an Apache or an IIS Web server as a patch source for vCenter Update Manager (1019288).
Add the Web server URL address as a third-party patch source in UMDS.
1. Navigate to the UMDS installation directory and open the downloadConfig.xml file for editing.
  - The default path in 32-bit Windows is C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager.
  - The default path in 64-bit Windows is C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager.
2. Add the Web server URL address between the <HostConfig> and </HostConfig> tags. For example, add the URL address:
  <HostConfig> <ESXThirdPartyUpdateUrl id="url2"> http://external_ip_address_or_hostname/powerpath_folder/index.xml </ESXThirdPartyUpdateUrl> </HostConfig>
3. Save and close the file.
Download the PowerPath/VE files by using UMDS. Open a command prompt, navigate to the UMDS installation folder, and run the command:

vmware-umds --download
Export the files to a shared patch repository. The shared repository can be located either on a portable media drive or in the document root of another Web server that Update Manager can access.

vmware-umds -E --export-store repository_path

Note: In the command, you must specify the full path of the export directory.
Add the shared repository to Update Manager, if the shared repository is not present in the list of download sources.
1. Start the vSphere Client and navigate to the Configuration tab in the Update Manager Administration view.
2. Under Patch Download Settings, click the Use a shared repository radio button and enter the full path to the index.xml file in the folder on the Web server or portable drive where you extracted the PowerPath/VE archive (for example, http://internal_ip_address_or_hostname/powerpath_folder/index.xml or F:/powerpath_folder/index.xml).
3. Click Validate URL to validate the path.
4. Click Apply to confirm the addition of the patch source.
5. Click Download Now to download the extension metadata immediately.
6. Create a new extension baseline containing the PowerPath/VE software.
  1. In the Update Manager Administration view, click the Baselines and Groups tab.
  2. Click Create above the Baselines pane to start the New Baseline wizard.
  3. Use the wizard to create a new host extension baseline that contains PowerPath/VE.
7. Attach the extension baseline to the host or container object that you want to remediate.
  1. In the vSphere Client navigation bar, select Home > Inventory > Hosts and Clusters.
  2. In the Update Manager Compliance view, select the ESX/ESXi host or container object to which you want to attach the extension baseline.
  3. Click Attach.
  4. In the Attach window, attach the extension baseline to hosts.
8. Scan the hosts against the extension baseline.
  1. In the Update Manager Compliance view, right-click the ESX/ESXi host or container object and select Scan for Updates.
  2. In the Confirm Scan window, verify that the Patches and Extensions check box is selected.
  3. Click Scan.
9. To install or update PowerPath/VE on ESX/ESXi hosts, remediate the hosts against the extension baseline.
  1. In the Update Manager Compliance view, click Remediate.
  2. Use the Remediate wizard to apply the PowerPath/VE extension to ESX/ESXi hosts in your inventory.

Additional Information

For translated versions of this article, see: