VMware releases certified VMware Data Services Manager database templates and software updates to Tanzu Network. You can manage software updates for Provider VM and updates to database templates with or without configuring the Tanzu Net Token.
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 downloads the bits and pushes them to the Provider Repo.
If you have deployed VMware Data Services Manager 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.
You can initiate a Provider update when the software is available in the Provider Repo.
Audience
The procedure in this topic is performed by a VMware Data Services Manager user in the Provider Administrator role.
Checking for Updates to the Provider
You can choose to check updates available for the Provider VM software on-demand and not wait for the daily automatic check for updates from Tanzu Network.
Perform the following procedure to check for available updates for the Provider VM software on-demand:
Select Update Manager from the left navigation pane.
This action displays the Update Manager view.
Click CHECK FOR UPDATES in the Update Manager view.
If any updates are available, they are displayed in the Cluster VMs table and Available Updates table in the Update Manager view.
Automatically Updating the Provider
Software updates can affect the functions involving the appliances that are being updated. From Release 1.4.0 of VMware Data Services Manager, you can choose to configure and control automatic updates for the Provider VM software, and thus set the maintenance policy. Thus, this feature helps you control the time and duration of downtime of appliances.
Automatic updates start with the Provider VM followed by updates of the Agent VMs simultaneously, completing a chain of an attempt of software updates.
Only three attempts are made with an interval of 10 minutes in between attempts. Irrespective of the configured duration of software updates, at least one attempt is made to complete a chain of software updates of appliances. If automatic updates fail and you cannot wait until the next scheduled maintenance, you can either edit the maintenance policy to set up a new maintenance policy or you can resort to manual software updates of appliances.
VMware Data Services Manager recommends a minimum of 45 minutes and a maximum of 180 minutes of duration for maintenance policy.
Limitations for Automatic Provider Updates
Consider the following limitations for automatic software updates to the Provider appliances:
- Only a Provider Administrator can configure a time and duration of the automatic software updates.
- You cannot update the maintenance policy for appliance updates if software update of a Provider VM is in progress.
- You cannot stop the software update once it starts.
- A maximum of three attempts, with an interval of 10 minutes, are made for software updates of appliances during the configured maintenance duration.
- If you edit the maintenance policy during the 10 minute interval between attempts of automatic software updates, then the next attempt is cancelled and the newly configured maintenance policy comes into effect.
- You cannot deactivate automatic updates after you have activated it.
Procedure for Automatic Provider Updates
Perform the following steps to set up or edit the maintenance policy of software update for the appliances:
Select Update Manager from the left navigation pane.
This action displays the Update Manager view.
In the Update Manager view, click the Maintenance tab to edit the maintenance policy for automatic software updates of appliances.
This action displays the Maintenance Policy view.
In the Maintenance Policy view, click EDIT.
The Maintenance Policy dialog box appears.
In the Maintenance Policy dialog box, set the following properties of the maintenance policy, and then click UPDATE.
Property Description Start Date Enter the start date of the maintenance policy. Start Time Use the drop downs to enter the start time of the software update every day in hours and minutes. Duration Enter the duration to apply the software updates.
Manually Updating the Provider
You can choose to manually update the Provider VM software. You initiate an update from the Update Manager view in the VMware Data Services Manager Provider console. This view displays the current Provider version, the available updates and whether or not a reboot is required, and the update history for each Provider VM.
If a new Provider release is available, it displays in the Available Updates pane of the Update Manager view.
You must first stage, and then install, a Provider VM software update.
When you initiate a Provider VM software update, VMware Data Services Manager first triggers a Provider backup, and then commences the update.
Prerequisites
Procedure for Manual Updates
Perform the following procedure to stage and install a Provider update:
Select Update Manager from the left navigation pane.
This action displays the Update Manager view.
Examine the Available Updates and identify the update you wish to install.
Click Stage to download the update to the Provider VM.
The console displays a Stage in progress message. When staging is complete, the console displays a Ready to install message.
Note: Staging the update may take some time.Click the History tab.
When staging completes successfully, the Status of the Stage Operation Type, displays SUCCESS, and the Provider New Update Status is Ready for Installation.
Examine the Reboot Required setting, and affirm that you wish to initiate the update.
Note: Installing an update on a Provider VM puts the VM in maintenance mode, and places the VMware Data Services Manager service offline.Click Install to initiate the software update.
Note: Installing an update may take some time.Note: If the update requires a reboot, you will get logged out of the VMware Data Services Manager console. Log back in.
About Software Updates and Version Compatibility
VMware Data Services Manager guarantees compatibility between versions n and n-1 releases of the Provider APIs. If you do not have access to release deliverables that meet this criteria, you must manually update the Provider using the one or more of the following VMware Data Services Manager API endpoints:
| API Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|
| /updatemanager/next-update | Fetch the next Provider node update. |
| /updatemanager/stage | Stage a Provider node update. |
| /updatemanager/apply | Apply a previously-staged Provider node update. |
| /updatemanager/stage-apply | Stage and apply a Provider node update. |
