Updates Downgrade?!?

[GotToBeStrong]

Last night I updated my VMI from 3.0 to 3.01 and had a list of about 30 updates that I wanted to install. One of the updates told me that something needed to be downgraded, and i needed to use a --force switch. I didn't think too much of it at the moment, wanting to just get done and go home (it was late at that point). I continued patching without incident, then came to a list of critical patches that also began saying downgrade, use --force. Since I had already forced one, I began to be a little wary of this and skipped those warning of downgrade. The one I did force through was ESX-6856573 from the Security Patches. Is there any way to reverse this patch change?

And wny isn't there a way to tell which patches have been superseeded by other patches untill the time of install. We really need patch management.

Also, Durring one of the reboots i got an error, recorded in 1.log, the log entry is:

Parsing error: parse error: Error adding an instance: CIM_ERR_FAILED: A general error occurred that is not covered by a more specific error code: "PG_Provider class needs to be registered before register the Provider capabilities class"

Can anybody explain these few things please?

Thank you in advance for your advice,

[mwheeler1982]

If you were told that something needed to be downgraded, that means you didn't install the patches in chronological order. Numerical order doesn't matter too much (though I always install the patches in chronological order, and numerical order within that).

I definintely agree with the sentiment about patch management!

[GotToBeStrong]

Hhmm, I don't recall seeing a release date with the list of patches. I know i didn't really pay attention to the release dates when i was reviewing the release notes.

I guess i've been spoiled by Micro$pend's advanced network management basics for dummies.

Chronological order...however, the patch that said downgrade was a patch for 3.0.1, which I had just finished installing (and rebooting). If the upgrade to 3.0.1 superceded that particular patch (and others) than why were they in the list to be installed only on a 3.0.1 system anyway.

PATCH MANAGEMENT! ARGH!

Message was edited by:

GotToBeStrong

[mwheeler1982]

The patch release date is on the page from which you downloaded them. For example:

ESX-1541239 Patch | 03/29/07 | Critical Patch

Patch Number 1541239 is a critical patch released on 3/29/2007. I usually grab all the patches I need from the particular release date, then apply them in numerical order. But I don't think the numerical order matters as long as you have the chronological order correct.

I think VMware is really getting lambasted over several issues dealing with patches. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the patch number, we have no advanced knowledge of upcoming releases, and applying the patches to numerous hosts is somewhat cumbersome.

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make patch management a very high priority.

[dominic7]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make patch

management a very high priority.

There are a number of community based scripts that can help you out. I think everyone is in agreement that installing patches in VI3 is craptastic.

[GotToBeStrong]

Do these scripts check for and exclude anything that returns downgrade?

Where can i find one or more of these scripts to review? (I apologize, as I am not a linux pro by any means.)

[sbeaver]

http://vmprofessional.com/

[GotToBeStrong]

Thank you very much for the info!

I will put it to good use in the future!

Now, I just need to learn perl scripting to modify it. 😛

Thank you,