Author : Chris Bedford
Topic Name : Install vCenter Server Appliance Patches
Publication Name : vSphere Upgrade
Product/Version : VMware vSphere/6.0
Question :
how to download the software-packages utility
Software-packages utility is embedded with vCSA. You don't have to download any utility.
https://www.vladan.fr/patch-vmware-vcenter-server-vcsa/
Putty into appliance shell and you will be able to patch using vCSA
Please consider marking this answer as "correct" or "helpful" if you think your questions have been answered
Well, when I want to check which patches will gets actually installed, the command is not found :
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.0.15000
Type: vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services Controller
root@pcoe-vcsa.pcoe.fr's password:
Last login: Thu Aug 16 07:02:44 2018 from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
root@PCOE-VCSA [ ~ ]# software-packages list –staged
-bash: software-packages: command not found
So where is the problem?
You will have to run software-packages from the below shell
Putty into vCSA and run the below command:
chsh -s /bin/appliancesh root
Close and re-launch putty to vCSA.
Thanks,
I can now run the help command
Command> software-packages -h
usage: software-packages [-h] {stage,unstage,validate,install,list} ...
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
sub-commands:
{stage,unstage,validate,install,list}
stage Stage software update packages
unstage Purge staged software update packages
validate Validate software update packages
install Install software update packages
list List details of software update packages
but the one as documented on the site still fails (with double '--' or a single '-') :
Command> software-packages list --staged
usage: software-packages [-h] {stage,unstage,validate,install,list} ...
software-packages: error: unrecognized arguments: –-staged
Command>
Command> software-packages list -staged
usage: software-packages [-h] {stage,unstage,validate,install,list} ...
software-packages: error: unrecognized arguments: –staged
command looks good to me.
software-packages list --staged
Alos, can you login to bash shell and run the below command to verify disk utilization.
df -Th
Well, my problem was probably a typo as I initially copy and paste the command from the site.
but it not so evident to see:
So retyping manually 'list --staged' returns a good result.
Thanks for the help.
Glad I could help!
software-packages install –iso –accepteulas --> To patch vCSA.
I mark this as 'helpful' only because I don't see it possible to be marked as 'solved' also.
In summary of the options:
Pick one of the following:
software-packages stage --iso --acceptEulas
stages software packages from ISO and accepts EULA.software-packages stage --url --acceptEulas
stages software packages from the default VMware online repository and accepts EULA.Verify that it downloaded correctly:
software-packages list --staged
lists the details of the staged software package.Install the updates:
software-packages install --staged
installs the staged software package.Apply the changes:
reboot
reboots the VCSA Also if like me you had a PSC where the software-packages command was missing try this instead:
# python /usr/lib/applmgmt/support/scripts/software-packages.py <Then add options>
Can we do something like this:
/bin/appliancesh --username root software-packages list on bash shell?
How does ansible run on appliancesh?
Hi Uday,
The above commands work from the appliance login session when your prompt reads Command>
As soon as you type shell, you are dropped into an appliancesh session.
Usually denoted by a:
root@hostname [ ~ ]#
from the appliance shell you can get results for software packages by running:
python /usr/lib/applmgmt/support/scripts/software-packages.py
Followed by the same command structure; for example:
I have obscured part of the hostname.
Could you please clarify what you are attempting to do with ansible?
Publication Name : vSphere Upgrade Product/Version : VMware vSphere/6.0 Question : how to download the software-packages utility
Thanks for reply,
This will help.
Actually we are writing code to automate the deployment of VMWare vCloud NFV 3.1 with VIO 5.1. We are using pyVmomi sdk and Ansible. Our main focus would be to use Ansible VMware cloud modules. It seems Ansible do not have complete features w.r.t VMware automation. Only vSphere automation is supported as of now and that too only 95%. hence I decided to use pyVmomi wherever Ansible lags.
We also have to take care of updates and patches and I found this command "software-packages install –iso " but Ansible does not work on "appliancesh". For other activities I have changed default shell to bash. For command "software-packages install" I wanted to run from bash shell and you helped.
BR//uday
Hello,
I had the same issue where software-packages was an unknown command and this made the trick. So the thread should be marked as answer.
Thanks a lot Vijay2027
Jeremy
Thank you for the post for how to get into Appliance Shell.
After patch is completed, is there a way to change back to regular shell?
Sorry for the late reply but for anyone digging this thread up, to change back: From Appliance Shell, type shell. Once in Bash, type chsh -s /bin/bash.