You can configure Update Manager to use a shared repository as a source for downloading virtual appliance upgrades, as well as ESXi patches, extensions, and notifications.

Prerequisites

  • Create a shared repository using UMDS, and host it on a Web server or a local disk. The UMDS version you use must be of a version compatible with your Update Manager installation. For more information about the compatibility, see Compatibility Between UMDS and the Update Manager Server. You can find the detailed procedure about exporting the upgrades, patch binaries, patch metadata, and notifications in Export the Downloaded Data.
  • Required privileges: VMware vSphere Update Manager.Configure.

Procedure

  1. In the Home view of the vSphere Web Client, select the Update Manager icon.
  2. From the Objects tab, select an Update Manager instance.
    The Objects tab also displays all the vCenter Server system to which an Update Manager instance is connected.
  3. Click the Manage tab.
  4. Click Settings, and select Download Setings.
  5. In the Download Sources pane, click Edit.
    An Edit Download Sources dialog box opens.
  6. Select the option Use a shared repository.
  7. Enter the path or the URL to the shared repository.
    For example, C:\repository_path\, https://repository_path/, or http://repository_path/
    In these examples, repository_path is the path to the folder to which you have exported the downloaded upgrades, patches, extensions, and notifications. In an environment where the Update Manager server does not have direct access to the Internet, but is connected to a machine that has Internet access, the folder can be on a Web server.

    You can specify an HTTP or HTTPS address, or a location on the disk on which Update Manager is installed. HTTPS addresses are supported without any authentication.

    Important: You cannot use folders located on a network drive as a shared repository. Update Manager does not download updates from folders on a network share either in the Microsoft Windows Uniform Naming Convention form (such as \\Computer_Name_or_Computer_IP\Shared), or on a mapped network drive (for example, Z:\).
  8. Click OK to close the Edit Download Sources dialog.
    The vSphere Web Client performs validation of the URL.
    Important: If the updates in the folder you specify are downloaded with a UMDS version that is not compatible with the Update Manager version you use, the validation fails and you receive an error message.

    You must make sure that the validation is successful. If the validation fails, Update Manager reports a reason for the failure. You can use the path to the shared repository only when the validation is successful.

  9. In the Download Sources pane, click Download Now to run the Download patch definitions task.
    All notifications and updates are downloaded immediately even if the Enable scheduled download check box is selected in Configure > Notification Check Schedule or Configure > Download Schedule, respectively.

Results

The shared repository is used as a source for downloading upgrades, patches, and notifications.

Example: Using a Folder or a Server as a Shared Repository

You can use a folder or a Web server as a shared repository.

  • When you use a folder as a shared repository, repository_path is the top-level directory where patches and notifications exported from UMDS are stored.

    For example, export the patches and notifications using UMDS to F:\ drive, which is a drive mapped to a plugged-in USB device on the machine on which UMDS is installed. Then, plug in the USB device to the machine on which Update Manager is installed. On this machine the device is mapped as E:\. The folder to configure as a shared repository in the Update Manager is E:\.

  • When you use a Web server as a shared repository, repository_path is the top-level directory on the Web server where the patches exported from UMDS are stored.

    For example, export the patches and notifications from UMDS to C:\docroot\exportdata. If the folder is configured on a Web server and is accessible from other machines at the URL https://umds_host_name/exportdata, the URL to configure as a shared repository in Update Manager is https://umds_host_name/exportdata.