Vmware Update Manager VIB driver update conflict ond esxi 6.5

[mdkone]

On esxi 6.5 i added the hp vib depots to VUM in order to update drivers.

after configuring a new baseline and searching for updates on a host i always get those conflicting updates:

Vsphere Version 6.5 8935087

see image:

https://pasteboard.co/HB69cPa.png

somebody else having the same issue?

[Jags_21]

Hi,

As per the version mentioned it seems you are using a latest version of ESXi 6.5 series, due to which the older vibs will not get installed.

The Build number points to:

Version: ESXi 6.5 U2b

Release Name:  ESXi650-201806001

Release Date: 6/28/2018

Build Number: 8935087

 In order to streamline:

Please check the below article to find the HPE build numbers and HPE installed VIBS

https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docId=emr_na-c03500901

please refer the April 2018 VMware Software Recipe, to find the supported HPE Custom Image

http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/hpq/recipes/Apr2018VMwareRecipeSPP201803_3.1.pdf

As per the build number findings, I suggest check the latest recipe, for updates

http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/hpq/recipes/HPE-VMware-Recipe.pdf

Regards,

[mdkone]

That behaviour is simply wrong, seems that HP in his infinite wisdom again doesn't care about logical stuff and doesn't care about best practice.

if i use official update sources, why should i have to care if i use a "correct recipe" ??? my correct recipe is the "HP customized ESXI 6.5 U2 installer iso .  after i installed the system using the "recipe-iso" i install all updates from the official HP repo for Vmware Update Manager.

Would be the first time in 25 years in my IT-Career as a system engineer that i have to care about dependencies and manually selecting updates that "match" the recipe which obviously i can't know without checking manually.

The idea of incremental updates is that dependencies and superseeded updates are handled by the update mechanism itself. So why the Hell are updates that seem to match "6.5" but not "6.5 U2" at all selectable from the Vmware update manager?

[upAndup448768]

Unfortunately things are different with HPE and VMware. :( I'm sorry for both of us.

The "Receipe" PDF tells you which combination of SPP and ESXi Customized ISO is supported (by HPE) for a particular generation of hardware. You are free to deviate but if you call HPE for support...

For VMware 6.5 HPE treats Gen8 hardware seperate from newer gear. So the Receipe for Gen8 is different from Gen9+.

I also previously thought I could just point my VUM at http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/ and install the latest stuff -- but that just ends up causing problems. If you are using HPE customized ISOs I suggest NOT connecting your VUM up to http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/ . Just rely on the vibs included in the ISO. Or if you do want to update your HPE vibs to newer versions connect VUM to the specific Monthly release URL that you want to update to.  (the URL for Gen8 will be different then Gen9+)

[mdkone]

This advise sounds really strange, let me point some things out why this would make no sense:

1st keeping hardware drivers and other software up to date is one of the most important things you can do nowadays, in terms of security and stability

2nd using HP's vibdepot together with VUM or the commandline  is part of HP's best practice to keep an environment up to date https://h20195.www2.hpe.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA4-7994ENW.pdf they even write, that's a supported way of running it.

3rd sometimes you have to be really fast in updating, so you can't wait for a month.

4th test your stuff before updating prod and you probably never get in to big troubles. we have a test-environment where we use the vibdepot from HP from the commandline.

5th how else you want to keep hundrets of servers up to date?

regards

Mike

[upAndup448768]

I know where you are coming from.  I was you just a few months ago... rippping my hair out trying to figure out how this works.

1. I agree, but installing 3rd party (HPE) patches to VMware is not as streamlined as it is for Windows.

2. Technically correct, but HPE (almost silently) drops support for older hardware without much notice. The pdf you linked has "slippery" text like:

"Determine the desired VMware ESXi patch and review contents of changes..." (how do you determine the desired patch?)

"Directly connect VUM to HPE Online Depot (vibsdepot.hpe.com) or to a specific bundle subdirectory..." (how do you know which "specific" subdirectory to connect to?)

3. Agreed... but HPE does not release updates to vibsdepot on a monthly cadence. They typically only release updates (in folders named after the month they decide to release them) that correspond to a VMware "Update" release (or to fix major bugs).

Note: A reminder that only Gen9 and later hardware is supported by software located in the "top-level" folder of http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/hpe/ . Gen8 hardware software is now under http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/hpe/preGen9/ 

4. I agree that testing is good.

5. Don't install the very latest offerings from vibsdepot.hpe.com without doing research first. Read the documentation that HPE sprinkles around in multiple places, realize that there are contradictions, and end up spending hours testing things yourself. Determine a VMware release + HPE software version to use that is stable in your environment (in reality just give up and go with the latest HPE customized ISO since it is supported by HPE support in case you run into problems -- then install VMware patches as they are released (skipping any updates from vibsdepot as it is confusing to figure out if they apply to your hardware).  When a new VMware Update release is announced wait a month or so for an updated HPE customized ISO to come out and upgrade to that).  Drink heavily in the evenings.