Using VUM to Update VMtools

[JDLangdon]

We're still running VI3.5 / VC 2.5 and from waht I can tell, I cannot use VUM to update my VM's with the latest version of VMtools. Is it possible for me to update to vCenter 4.1 and then use the latest version of VUM to upgrade my VI3.5 VM's to the latest version of VMtools or do I ahve to upgrade my VM's to version7 before I can implement this feature?

________________________________

Jason D. Langdon

[Troy_Clavell]

v7 hardware is not dependent on getting the most current tools installed. You should be able to upgrade to vCenter/VUM 4.1 and apply the "VMware Tools Upgrade to match Host" baseline.

I apologize since I don't have a VI3 environment, so I can't say for sure this was available prior to vSphere4

Remember vCenter 4.1 is 64bit, and will require a 64bit DSN as well as a 64bit Host OS, while VUM still requires a 32bit DSN

[JDLangdon]

The problem is that we don't want to upgrade to vSphere just yet. We just want to get our VMtools updated.

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Jason D. Langdon

[Troy_Clavell]

The problem is that we don't want to upgrade to vSphere just yet. We just want to get our VMtools updated.

get your guest tools to vSphere4 level? If so, not possible, as tools are provided by the ESX Hosts.

[JDLangdon]

Nope, just to the latest version available for vi3.5.

________________________________

Jason D. Langdon

[Troy_Clavell]

if you have the ability using a lower build of VUM to update the tools, then it will show up as a predefined baseline. Let me see if I can find anything in the VUM guides as to whether or not this is doable not using vSphere4

[JDLangdon]

I've got an older version of VUM running but I do not see any pre-defined baselines related to vmtools.

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Jason D. Langdon

[Troy_Clavell]

then I would say no... However, how bout setting up the VM to "Check and upgrade tools before each power on"? I have script that will enable that feature on a cluster, or getting content from a txt file. Then you can do a rolling reboot??

[JDLangdon]

Looks like that might be my only option. The problem with that is the VM has to be powered off in order to check that option box. Given the importance VMware places on these tools, one would think that there would be an easier way to automate the process.

________________________________

Jason D. Langdon

[Troy_Clavell]

Looks like that might be my only option. The problem with that is the VM has to be powered off in order to check that option box.

ah, but PowerCLI can do it while the VM is powered on

Here's a script that will check that box per cluster

$clusterName = "<yourclustername>"
$vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
$vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo
$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"

Get-Cluster -Name $clusterName | Get-VM | %{
	$_.Extensiondata.ReconfigVM($vmConfigSpec)
}

and here's one based on names in a text file

$vmConfigSpec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
$vmConfigSpec.Tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo
$vmConfigSpec.Tools.ToolsUpgradePolicy = "UpgradeAtPowerCycle"

Get-Content -Path "C:\names.txt" | %{
    (get-vm -Name $_).Extensiondata.ReconfigVM($vmConfigSpec)
}

[Troy_Clavell]

just found it... It was not possible until VMware vCenter Update Manager 4.0 | 21 MAY 2009 | Build 162871

What's New

VMware Tools and virtual hardware upgrades – VMware vCenter Update Manager provides new default baselines to scan virtual machines for the latest VMware Tools and virtual hardware versions. You can view the compliance status of the virtual machines against the default VMware Tools Upgrade to Match Host and VM Hardware Upgrade to Match Host baselines. You can perform VMware Tools and virtual hardware upgrades of individual virtual machines or virtual machine upgrades at a folder, cluster, or datacenter level.