Update Manager Issues

[Jelifah]

I'm attempting to use Update Manager - Remediate for the first time in my environment.

When it tries to Enter Maintenance Mode it hangs at 2% then says 'Operation timed out'.

Nothing is running on the server except the one host, and no is logged in.

What steps should I take to resolve this issue?

[rushto_jp]

Hello,

I guess you mean vmotion of the VMs stops at 2%. Please check for all the VMs are not having any active CD rom connections. If thats OK, after putting DRS in automatic mode try maintenance mode of ESX server.

[Troy_Clavell]

see this KB, it may be helpful

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007156

[Jelifah]

Thanks for the KB article link but I don't recall setting up a VMware HA or DRS cluster. My environment has 50 ESX Servers with 3.5 update 3 all running ONE Windows XP Virtual Machine, long story short the servers aren't build to run XP so this was our company's decision.

Before I read the comments the Remediate Entity task had failed, so I did the following (screenshot attached for clarity)

• Shut the Virtual Machine down

• Started the RemediateTask again, thinking it would now work.

• As expected it was able to complete the Enter Maintenance Mode task

• But now the followup Install operation failed after 15 minutes

• and the machine is having trouble when it attempts to complete Exit Maintenance Mode

• As I waited an error came up saying my session with VMWare Update Manager Server is no longer valid.

I wanted to respond to the VMotion comment though. It appears that I don't have a solid understanding of what VMware Update Manager is trying to do, or that I haven't set up this environment appropriately. Where exactly is the machine trying to be VMotion'ed to? I didn't do any configuration to VMotion after my Virtual Center Server install. These were just independent ESX Server installs

For now I want Virtual Center to apply patches to the 50 ESX hosts . When I do a review of patches on the website I'm overwhelmed with the number of items listed and the pre-requisites noted. This seems like I'm doing a lot of work to apply security patches to a machine. I thought it would be as easy as 'Windows Update' clicking.

Any thoughts?

[Troy_Clavell]

Let me try to address a couple of things I think may be your issue. If I am wrong I would hope someone would correct me.

The screen shot you posted is a known and documented issue, which you can see in this KB

When you remediate a host, part of the process is that DRS migrates all your VM's off to other hosts in the cluster, then starts the patch process, reboots the host and then exits maintenance mode. I could be wrong but I do not think it will work on stand alone hosts. Your screen shot is showing two host under a datacenter, but not in a cluster.

Also, you may consider adding the hosts into your vCenter Server as FQDN's as apposed to IP. Have a look at the best practice guide for VUM, it may be useful as well

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vum_1.0_performance.pdf

Hope this helps a bit.

[Jelifah]

Thanks for the KB and quick response, I currently do not have Anti Virus running on the machine hosting Virtual Center Server.

Wow, this is quite frustrating.

• Is there a way to patch my ESX servers using Update Manager, or some other GUI, that does not involve DRS migrating the VM's to other hosts in the cluster?

• All machines are individually isolated across our WAN, in different parts of the country, and the bandwidth needed to VM them would be excessive.

I'm assuming the answer is no. If that's the case is there something I could reference showing what security patches I would need for an ESX server that has just been installed with 3.5 u3? Simply looking at the website, and the command line statements needed, is a little overwhelming. Especially when I'll be repeating them 50 times.

Thanks, from a guy just trying to patch his ESX servers...

p.s.

Thanks for the FQDN suggestion, these machines were rushed out the door and we definetly have some backend cleanup we need to get done.

[Troy_Clavell · Accepted solution]

12/02/08 was the last time any new patches were released for U3, you can find them Review the patches and see which ones are needed in your environment.

Before the addition of VMware Update Manager, I used to patch via scripting. You download the needed patches, place them on an FTP site and then place the script onto an ESX host and execute it. Make sure you have your Host(s) in maintenance mode.

Attached is the script I used to use, needs to be "tweaked" a bit to your environment. but should still work for 3.5. If you are patching over a WAN, that may be way you are timing out.. It may be easier to patch via scripting instead of through VUM

[Jelifah]

Thanks for all of the assistance Troy. This will help immensely.