Vmware esxupdate error code:8

The vmware update service can sometimes get confused about the installed/available updates in wierd and wonderful ways.

I recently got the following error while trying to update an extension and Vmware patches using VUM (Vmware update manager)

"The host returns esxupdate error code:8. The format of the VIB is invalid.  Check the Update Manager log files and esxupdate log files for more details."

A quick check of the esxupdate logfile (/var/log/vmware/esxupdate.log) didn't shed much light and running through an update again (which failed) didn't even show an error message /var/log/vmware/esxupdate.log

Googling the exact error message didn't bring up anything much either other than many hits for other error codes.

A bit of digging eventually got me to this KB article and a very simple fix:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2002854

• mv /etc/vmware/esxupdate/bulletins.zip /etc/vmware/esxupdate/bulletins.zip.old
• mv /etc/vmware/esxupdate/vibs.xml /etc/vmware/esxupdate/vibs.xml.old
• esxupdate syncdb

Rescan the host and you should be able to remediate the host.

Further reading - esxupdate error codes:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1039063

 

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Setting up VMware Vmware Update Manager (VUM) & UMDS

Vmware Update Manager (VUM) is the preferred update tool for keeping Vmware ESX servers up to date.

Sadly in version 5 Vmware dropped the ability to patch VMs, but it's an essential part of the Vmware Sysadmin's toolkit none the less.

Installation of VUM is pretty straight forward.  You create an ODBC connection to either a local SQL Express installation or a remote dedicated SQL server (on a 64bit server this needs to be done with the 32bit odbc admin tool C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe and remember to install the SQL client connectivity!).  You then run the setup wizard off the vCenter media and select your ODBC connection.

The UMDS (Update Manager Download Service) is an additional component of VUM which can be manually installed, again off the vCenter media.  It allows you to download the patches and metadata to an isolated VUM server which has no access to the internet (direct or via a proxy).

There are two stages - the download and getting the files into VUM:

1. Internet -> UMDS download -> staging box
2. Staging box -> IIS / USB drive / Local Drive -> VUM Shared Repository

Stage 1.

• Install UMDS on any box with internet access (direct or via proxy).  This will require the SQL client connectivity and setting up a 32bit ODBC connection.
• Configure internet access with the config utility in C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\VMwareUpdateManagerUtility.exe (on 64bit windows)
• Once UMDS is running, you just run the command vmware-umds -D. This will download the patches and metadata to the data directory specified during setup.

Stage 2.

There are several methods for getting the data into VUM.  All require the data to be "exported" from the download folder. (this is per the vmware documentation but I can't see any different between the download folder and the exported folder)

• vmware-umds -S --default-export-store C:\UMDS_Export - this sets the export location.  The vmware docs say this needs to be only one folder deep to work
• vmware-umds -E this does the export.

If you're not planning to use IIS to serve up the files to VUM, you need to get this export folder onto your VUM server local disks (either with a USB drive or manually copying over CIFS to the VUM server disks) and use the "shared repository" feature to tell VUM where they are.  Click the "download now" button to get the metadata into VUM.

Using IIS is a nice way to automate the process (connectivity permitting).  

• First off, create a virtual directory in IIS pointing to the export folder.
• Grant permission to the export folder, subfolders and all files to at least the IIS_IUSRS user (the builtin users group includes this user)
• Then add the mime types from the VMware article here and enable directory browsing. 
• Restart IIS
• Add the URL to the shared repository section of VUM's configuration page and validate the URL - remember to include http or https as appropriate for your IIS setup
• Click download now

Finally, you need to either wait for a scheduled patch download, or modify your schedule to "once" and select "run now" to make VUM process the metadata otherwise you won't see any patches.

Here's a quick summary of the different roles

UMDS server

• Needs internet access (direct or via proxy)
• Requires a UMDS SQL database, either local or remote, connected via 32bit ODBC 
• Downloads patches to local disk
• Exports patches to either local disk or usb disk for transfer to VUM
• Optional: IIS can be installed to serve patches to VUM server

VUM Server

• Needs to be able to connect to vCenter
• Needs a VUM SQL database, either local or remote, connected via 32bit ODBC
• Downloads patches to local disk during remediation from either USB, another local folder or IIS.
• Optional: Needs to be able to access IIS port on the UMDS server

Additional reading:

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.update_manager.doc_50/GUID-013BCF81-7F46-4EFF-BA67-40FA08C91037.html

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1004455

http://communities.vmware.com/message/2091767?tstart=0

http://virtuallymikebrown.com/2011/10/23/vcenter-update-manager-patching-guide/

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Increase A VMware Disk Size (VMDK) Formatted As Linux LVM ~ Mattias Geniar

Increase A VMware Disk Size (VMDK) Formatted As Linux LVM

Posted on Friday, August 27, 2010 by Matti

via mattiasgeniar.be

This is a very well written and concise article on extending an LVM drive. Well done Matti!

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Android apps #3: llama

Modern smartphones are great. All those apps, connected to the internet, retrieving information and letting you know about it with beeps and bongs.

The only downside is the inevitable beep in the middle of the night that wakes you up.

Enter Llama. It's designed to change the ringer and notification volumes depending on the time and where you are.

Previously I used Foxyring, but that used GPS data which sucks the battery dry, so I ended up just using the timers.

Llama however has a trick up its sleeve - passive scanning of cell towers (already known by the phone unless you've put it in flight mode). By using this instead of GPS, you can have some really nifty rules.

For instance I have my phone go louder when I leave home, and very loud when I'm working in the noisy Datacenter, but quiet at work and at home, and silent overnight.

It's highly configurable but the defaults are pretty useful.

Posted via email from Pio's work related musings

Android apps #2: Catch notes

For note taking I like keeping things simple such add just using a text editor, but there are occasions when it's useful to keep a photo (such as when you're at the datacenter and need to remember which nics you've just plugged in the back of a server) and text only just won't cut it.

That's where Evernote and my favourite Catch notes come in. They also have the added bonus of syncing with the cloud so it's easy to get the content when you're back at your desk again.

I prefer catch mainly because it can be moved to sd card (which breaks widgets) and it has a small lightweight widget for quick notes.

Well designed, easy to use and rather useful.

Posted via email from Pio's work related musings

Android apps #1

The first in probably infrequent series with the best free apps for Android phones. I've pretty much got "an app for that" and all of them free.

So kicking everything off is Jota, a text editor. Advert free, it does everything you want from a text editor in windows, let alone on a mobile phone.

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Macrium Reflect FREE Edition

via macrium.com

The first in an intermittent series of posts for my top free PC tools concerns Macrium Reflect.

It's a great imaging tool (similar to Ghost) that can even do bare metal restores via a linux or WinPE boot disk (depending on hardware compatibility fo course).

The best news is they offer a freeware version, so there's no reason not to get it...

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