vCenter 8 - Simplivity Host Image for vCenter Update Management

[ICPMuenchen]

Hey Folks,

in vCenter 8 you need to link a host image for updading esxi hosts.

Which image should be selected, or where do i get the json file for importing the simplivity esxi host image?

thanks a lot in advance.

Regards

Peter

[Sanika]

Hello,

In Vcenter 8, uploading a JSON file for image management is necessary. It is either bundled with the custom image or generated during the image preparation process in vSphere Lifecycle Manager.

To successfully import an image to a cluster and apply the software specification to the hosts in the cluster, all the components must be specified in the image available in the vSphere Lifecycle Manager depot.

Below are some links that might be useful in getting the json file for importing the simplivity esxi host image.
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere-lifecycle-manager.doc/GUID-B0FE7554-446E-4D64-BDE7-6E3ADA24ED71.html
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere-lifecycle-manager.doc/GUID-B5BB0100-0F31-456F-997A-6AF06A607D50.html#GUID-085D24AB-E9CD-4508-BB03-C1C9F7F87FD5
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere-lifecycle-manager.doc/GUID-F5606ABC-CE58-45CA-9F52-66B98E71E94E.html

I would also recommend you to contact HPE support team for more assistance on this.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Sanika.

If you feel this was helpful, please click the KUDOS thumb below. Also consider marking this as an "Accepted Solution", if the post has helped to solve your issue.

[ICPMuenchen]

@Sanika Yes i know,

but for Simplivity Hosts there is only an offline Bundle available e.g.: Q8A57-11187_hpe-esxi8.0u2c-23825572-802.0.0.11.6.0.5-offline-bundle.zip

this file cannot be imported, neither does it have a json file

[gustenar]

Hello @ICPMuenchen 

You can use HPE SimpliVity Upgrade Manager to upgrade your SimpliVity hosts or ESXCLI method. Here's what the SimpliVity Interoperability Guide states: 

"HPE SimpliVity Upgrade Manager detects only SimpliVity custom ESXi bundles and not VMware Patches. VMware Patch bundles need to be
downloaded from the VMware portal and must be applied via ESXCLI which can be obtained from the VMware patch portal at https://support.broadcom.com"

Let me know if you have any questions. 

Thanks. 

Reference video:
HPE SimpliVity - How to Upgrade VMware ESXi Software (GUI Method) 

Upgrade or Update a Host with Image Profiles 

[ICPMuenchen]

@gustenar 

with vCenter 7 it was possible to apply esxi patches manually with lifecycle manager, especially when there have been reasonable updates or security fixes.

now i have to apply the patches with esxcli right with vcenter8?

[gustenar]

@ICPMuenchen 

We still perform software updates the same way we did in previous versions, nothing has changed. We offer the HPE Upgrade Manager to easily apply software updates to all nodes in federation, including ESXi updates based on compatibility with our OmniStack software. The software package doesn't include a json file for use with LCM, the offline custom images is what is normally used. You may need to check Vmware's documentation to see if the json file could be generated some other way. 

[ICPMuenchen]

@gustenar 

it seems you dont understand what i want / need.

i know there is the HPE upgrade manager for deploying offline bundles. but sometimes it takes to long getting a new offline bundle and you have to apply the esxi patch manuelly to the host. with vcenter 7 you just created a baseline in lifecycle manager and applied to the host. but this doesnt work anymore, because you need an image in vcenter 8 lifecycle manager. Hence we need a simplivity image/json file for lifecycle manager in vcenter 8.

[gustenar]

Yes, I mentioned in my previous comment our software package doesn't include a json file for use with LCM. This is at the moment not available. I will inquire if it's something we would offer a later time. 

[ICPMuenchen]

this should be mentioned in the deployment guide when creating the cluster,  because if you once activated the image based LCM you cannot switch back to basline.

really hope there will be any updates soon, because LCM in Baseline Mode is getting deprecated in future.