PSC

vCSA & PSC: Update/Patching options available

/ johannstander / Leave a comment
The update of either vCSA or PSC can be achieved through the VAMI interface which was introduced back in 6.0U1 or through the appliancesh command-line interface.
Method 1: VAMI and URL: 
This method requires internet access from your appliances.
  • Login to VAMI
  • https://vcenterserver.domain.com:5480/
    • U: root / P: password
  • From navigator select Update
  • This will display the current version details
  • Select Check Updates -> Check URL
  • This method will go out to VMware’s repository https://vapp-updates.vmware.com/vai-catalog/valm/… and verify you are on latest.
  • If available updates then select the Install updates -> Install all updates
  • Accept EULA
  • Wait for updates to complete.

Method 2: VAMI and custom URL: 
This method can be used if you do not have internet access from your appliances by setting up a local repository.
  • Setup a webserver on your network (ISS or Apache) that will be accessible to the vCSA and PSC.
  • Create a directory called PSC_updates or VCSA updates.  Names can be changed.
  • On VMware support site now download update but make sure to download the zip update bundle.
  • Extract the zip update bundle to the folder you created earlier.
  • Login to VAMI
  • https://vcenterserver.domain.com:5480
    • U: root / P: password
  • From navigator select Settings
  • Select “Use specified repository”
  • Click OK
  • Select Check for updates
  • If available updates then select the Install updates -> Install all update
  • Accept EULA
  • Wait for updates to complete
Method 3: VAMI and CDROM:

This method is pretty straight forward.

  • On VMware support site download the ISO for latest vCSA and/or PSC.
  • Login to vCenter Web client
  • Select vCSA or PSC appliance VM
  • Launch remote console
  • Select VMRC -> Removable devices -> CD/DVD drive 1 -> Connect to Disk Image File (iso)
  • Mount the ISO downloaded from VMware support site
  • Login to VAMI
  • https://vcenterserver.domain.com:5480/
    • U: root / P: password
  • From navigator select Update
  • Select Check Updates
  • Select Check CDROM
  • If available updates then select the Install updates -> Install all update
  • Accept EULA
  • Wait for updates to complete
Method 4: Using appliancesh command line

This method was the only way to update the appliance when vCenter 6 was released since the VAMI was only introduced in 6.0U1.  You can either mount and ISO or point to a URL for updates.  The URL can be the default VMware or 
  • On VMware support site download the ISO for latest vCSA and/or PSC.
  • Select vCSA or PSC appliance VM
  • Launch remote console
  • Select VMRC -> Removable devices -> CD/DVD drive 1 -> Connect to Disk Image File (iso)
  • Mount the ISO downloaded from VMware support site
  • SSH to VCSA or PSC
  • type # appliancesh
  • enter root password
  • To use CDROM
    • type # software-packages install –iso –acceptEulas
  • To use default VMware URL 
    • type # software-packages –url (This will use the default vmware URL to check)
  • to use local ropository URL

Product patches can be downloaded from this VMware site:
https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/patch#search
Log files to review for updates:

/var/log/vmware/applmgmt/software-packages.log




PSC : Firstboot script execution error

/ johannstander / Leave a comment

I installed a test PSC today and right at the end of the installation an error popped up “Firstboot script execution error”.

After looking through the log files I found the following:

VMware Appliance Configuration…\”, \n        \”translatable\”: \”Starting %(0)s…\”\n    }, \n    \”warning\”: [], \n    \”error\”: {\n        \”resolution\”: {\n            \”id\”: \”install.ciscommon.validatePNID.resolution\”, \n            \”localized\”: \”If the supplied system name is a FQDN, then make sure the DNS forward lookup results in at least one valid IP address in the system. If the supplied system name is an IP address, then it should be one of the valid IP address(es) in the system.\”, \n            \”translatable\”: \”If the supplied system name is a FQDN, then make sure the DNS forward lookup results in at least one valid IP address in the system. If the supplied system name is an IP address, then it should be one of the valid IP address(es) in the system.\”\n        }, \n        \”detail\”: [\n            {\n                \”args\”: [\n                    \”jpsctest01.sovsystems.com\”\n                ], \n                \”id\”: \”install.ciscommon.validatePNID.error\”, \n                \”localized\”: \”The supplied System Name jpsctest01.sovsystems.com is not valid.\”, \n                \”translatable\”: \”The supplied System Name %(0)s is not valid.\”\n            }\n        ], \n        \”componentKey\”: \”visl-integration\”, \n        \”problemId\”: \”install.ciscommon.validatePNID\”\n    }, \n    \”progress\”:0\n}”,”isFinal”:”true”}
2016-02-22 16:52:16.814728 Progress Controller: [VCSA ERROR] – First Boot error

Solution:

In my haste for testing i forgot to setup the A-records in DNS for the new PSC appliance.
The problem can also be related to providing the wrong DNS name during the installation wizard.