VMware releases certified Data Management for VMware Tanzu database templates and software updates to Tanzu Network. If you have configured a Tanzu Net Token, the Provider checks for new releases once a day at 12:00 AM according to the NTP server configured for the Provider VM. If a new release is available, the Provider VM downloads the bits and pushes them to the Provider Repo.
If you have deployed Data Management for VMware Tanzu in an air-gapped environment (an environment with no internet connectivity), you obtain the database templates and software updates available in a new release from Tanzu Network or VMware Customer Connect as described in Manually Populating Database Templates and Software Updates, and manually populate the software in the Provider Repo.
An Agent initiates its own update; this occurs some time after the software is available in the Provider Repo.
Audience
The information in this topic is relevant to a Data Management for VMware Tanzu user in the Organization Administrator role.
About Agent Updates
A new Data Management for VMware Tanzu release may include software updates for the Agent VM.
The Agent VM software is updated automatically by Data Management for VMware Tanzu. The Agent polls the Provider 3 times a day for updates, at 12:00 AM, 8:00 AM, and 4:00 PM according to the NTP server configured for the Agent VM. If an update is available, and the update is compatible with the current Agent version, the Agent:
- Downloads the update.
- Transitions to VM maintenance mode.
- Completes in-flight operations, rejects new operation requests.
- Initiates the software update.
If the software update fails, manual intervention on your part is required; you may be required to recover the Agent VM.
About Database Updates
A new Data Management for VMware Tanzu release may include updated database templates. A database template is comprised of a set of software packages:
- Core Service
- Engine
- Adapter
- Operating System (OS)
The database polls the Agent every 10 minutes for updates. If an update is available, it must be compatible with the current version of the software components on the database:
- Engine updates must be compatible with the current version of the Engine.
- Core Service and Adapter updates must be compatible with the current version of the Agent.
- Operating System updates must be compatible with the current version of the OS running on the database.
Core Service, Adapter, and OS software updates that do not require a reboot are always automatically applied to a database by Data Management for VMware Tanzu. Data Management for VMware Tanzu applies database updates that require a service or VM restart only during the maintenance window configured for the database.
Data Management for VMware Tanzu applies Engine updates during the maintenance window configured for a database only when the user turned on Enable Auto Minor Version Upgrade during database creation. If this property is turned off, you are required to manually update the Engine software using the Data Management for VMware Tanzu API.
If Data Management for VMware Tanzu finds that a requested update is compatible:
The Agent determines if the update requires a reboot. If so, it waits until the time reaches the maintenance window.
The Agent sends an update request to the database.
The database transitions to VM maintenance mode.
The database completes in-flight operations, and rejects new operation requests.
The database initiates the software update. The database Status changes based on the type of update being applied:
Status Description CONTROL_PLANE_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS A control plane software update is in progress. DB_ENGINE_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS An Engine software update is in progress. OS_UPDATE_IN_PROGRESS An operating system software update is in progress.
If the update is successful, the database is back ONLINE.
If the update fails, you may be required to restore the database from the last available snapshot.
Initiating an On-Demand Engine Software Update
If you did not check the Enable Auto Minor Version Upgrade property when you created a database, the only way to update the Engine software is using the Data Management for VMware Tanzu API.
Prerequisites
Before you initiate an on-demand Engine software update on a database, ensure that the database has no running Data Management for VMware Tanzu or system-level tasks in progress. Data Management for VMware Tanzu will not apply an Engine software update when there are tasks running on the database.
You must also obtain the database identifier for the database. You can obtain the identifier by invoking the /provider/databases endpoint of the Data Management for VMware Tanzu API, locating the database in the output, and then extracting its id.
Procedure
You invoke the following Data Management for VMware Tanzu API endpoint to initiate an on-demand Engine update of a database:
PATCH /databases/<db-id>/update-db-engine
About Software Updates and Version Compatibility
Data Management for VMware Tanzu guarantees compatibility between versions n and n-1 releases of the Agent API. If you do not have access to release deliverables that meet this criteria, you must manually update the Agent using the Data Management for VMware Tanzu API.
