VMware vSphere Update Manager 6.5 Update 2 for Windows OS | 3 MAY 2018 | Build 8305924

vCenter Server 6.5 Update 2 | 3 MAY 2018 | ISO Build 8307201

VMware vSphere Update Manager service in vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 Update 2 | 3 MAY 2018 | ISO Build 8307201

Check for additions and updates to these release notes.

What's in the Release Notes

These release notes cover the following topics:

The Update Manager release notes provide information about VMware vSphere Update Manager, an optional module for VMware vCenter Server. For more information about VMware vSphere Update Manager, see the Installing and Administering VMware vSphere Update Manager documentation.


What's New

  • Some of the open source components that are embedded in Update Manager 6.5 Update 2, which are updated in this release include:
    • The Python version bundled in the cis-upgrade-runner.msi is updated to 2.7.14.
    • The Oracle (Sun) JRE package is updated to version 1.8.0_162.
    • Curl version is updated to 7.58.0.

 

Product Support Notices

  • Virtual appliances upgrades with Update Manager: Upgrade and patch operations of virtual appliances will be deprecated in a future release.

 

Installation Notes

This section includes information about the installation of Update Manager and Update Manager Download Service, an optional module of vSphere Update Manager.

 

Update Manager

The Update Manager module consists of a server component and client component.

 

Update Manager Installation on a Windows Operating System

The Update Manager  server 6.5 Update 2 for Windows is delivered as a 64-bit application, and can be installed only on a 64-bit Windows operating systems. Before you install Update Manager, you must install vCenter Server. The Update Manager server has the same requirements for a host OS like the vCenter Server. For database compatibility information, see the section Databases that Support Installation of the Update Manager Server.

The Update Manager server can be installed on the same system as vCenter Server or on a different system. Each instance of vSphere Update Manager can be associated with a single vCenter Server instance.

During installation, you cannot connect the Update Manager server that runs on Windows to a vCenter Server Appliance.

Installation of VMware vSphere Update Manager requires network connectivity with an existing vCenter Server system.

Hardware Requirements

Minimum hardware requirements for Update Manager vary depending on how Update Manager is deployed on a Windows operating system.

If the database is installed on the same machine as Update Manager, requirements for memory size and processor speed are higher. The minimum requirements to ensure acceptable performance are as follows:

  • Processor: Intel or AMD x86 processor with two or more logical cores, each with a speed of 2 GHz.

  • Network: 10/100 Mbps
    For best performance, use a Gigabit connection between Update Manager and ESXi hosts.
  • Memory:
    • 2 GB RAM if Update Manager and the vCenter Server are on different machines.
    • 8 GB RAM if Update Manager and the vCenter Server are on the same machine.

 

Update Manager Integration with the vCenter Server Appliance

Update Manager 6.5 Update 2 is integrated with the vCenter Server Appliance and is delivered as an optional service. Starting in vSphere 6.5, you can no longer connect Update Manager instance that is installed on a Windows Server machine with the vCenter Server Appliance.

To use the Update Manager server in the vCenter Server Appliance, start VMware vSphere Update Manager Extension service.

A deployment model of Update Manager with the vCenter Server Appliance uses PostgreSQL database. Update Manager and the vCenter Server Appliance share the same PostgreSQL database server, but use separate PostgreSQL database instances.

 

Update Manager Web Client

The client component of Update Manager is a plug-in to the vSphere Web Client. The Update Manager client component provides you with the full set of capabilities you need to perform patch and version management for your vSphere inventory.

The Update Manager plug-in for the vSphere Web Client requires no installation. After you install the Update Manager server component on a Windows operating system, or after starting the Update Manager service in the vCenter Server Appliance, the Update Manager client component is automatically enabled in the vSphere Web Client. An Update Manager icon appears on the Home screen, and the Update Manager appears amongst the top-level tabs in the vSphere Web Client.

You can access the Administration view of Update Manager from vSphere Web Client Home screen.
You can access the Compliance view of Update Manager by selecting an object from the vSphere inventory and navigating to the Update Manager tab.

 

Update Manager Download Service

vSphere Update Manager Download Service (UMDS) is an optional module of Update Manager that you can use to download patch definitions on a system that is separate from the Update Manager server. Use UMDS in case your Update Manager deployment system is secured and the machine on which the Update Manager server is installed has no access to the Internet.

You have two options for installation of UMDS. You can install UMDS on a 64-bit Windows operating systems. You must not install the UMDS on the same Windows machine where the Update Manager server is installed.
You can also install the UMDS on a Linux-based system. In vSphere 6.5 Update 2 release, an installer for UMDS 6.5 Update 2 is delivered with the ISO file of the vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 Update 2. As a prerequisite to install the UMDS on Linux, you need a Linux server on which you must preconfigure the PostgreSQL database and a 64-bit DSN. Mount the ISO file of the vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 Update 2 to the Linux machine, and install and configure UMDS 6.5 Update 2.

To use UMDS, the download service must be of a version that is compatible with the Update Manager server. For more information about the compatibility between Update Manager and the UMDS, see the Installing and Administering VMware vSphere Update Manager documentation.

Installing UMDS 6.5 Update 2 in an Environment with Update Manager 6.5 Instances Only

In the UMDS 6.5 Update 2 installation wizard, you can select the patch store to be an existing download directory from an earlier UMDS 6.0 or UMDS 5.5 installation and reuse the applicable downloaded updates in UMDS 6.5 Update 2. You should uninstall existing UMDS 6.0 or UMDS 5.5 instances before reusing the patch store. After you associate an existing download directory with UMDS 6.5 Update 2, you cannot use it with earlier UMDS versions.
If you install UMDS and associate it with an existing download directory, make sure that you perform at least one download by using UMDS 6.5 Update 2 before you export updates.

Installing UMDS 6.5 Update 2 in an Environment with both Update Manager 6.5 and Update Manager 6.0 Instances

Do not install UMDS 6.5 Update 2 with an existing UMDS 6.0 download directory if your environment contains both Update Manager 6.5 and Update Manager 6.0 instances. In such a case, you need a UMDS 6.5 Update 2 and a UMDS 6.0 installations on two separate machines, so that you can export updates for each respective Update Manager versions.

 

Update Manager Utility

The Update Manager Utility allows you to change the database password and proxy authentication, re-register Update Manager with vCenter Server, and replace the SSL certificates for Update Manager. For more information about reconfiguring the Update Manager settings by using the utility, see the Reconfiguring VMware vSphere Update Manager documentation.

When you install Update Manager or UMDS, vSphere Update Manager Utility is silently installed on your system as an additional component.

 

Upgrade Notes

This release allows upgrades from Update Manager versions 5.5 and 6.0 and their respective Update releases that are installed on a 64-bit Windows operating system. Before you upgrade Update Manager, you must upgrade vCenter Server and the vSphere Web Client to a compatible version.
Direct upgrades from Update Manager earlier than version 5.5, or Update Manager systems that are installed on a 32-bit platform are not supported. You must use the data migration tool that is provided with Update Manager 5.0 installation media to move your Update Manager system from 32-bit operating system to Update Manager 5.0 on a 64-bit Windows operating system. After that perform an upgrade from version 5.0 or version 5.1 to version 5.5 before upgrading to version 6.5 Update 2. For detailed information how to use the data migration tool, see the Installing and Administering VMware vSphere Update Manager documentation for Update Manager 5.0.

Upgrade from UMDS 5.x, or UMDS 6.0 to UMDS 6.5 Update 2 is not supported.

 

Migration Notes

VMware provides supported paths for migrating Update Manager from a Windows operating system to run in the vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 Update 2.

Update Manager can be migrated to vCenter Server Appliance in the following vCenter Server deployment models:

  • vCenter Server and Update Manager run on the same Windows machine
  • vCenter Server and Update Manager run on different Windows machines
  • Update Manager runs on a Windows machine and is connected to a vCenter Server Appliance

For detailed information how to perform migration, see the Installing and Administering VMware vSphere Update Manager and the vSphere Upgrade documentation.

 

Interoperability and Software Requirements

The VMware Product Interoperability Matrix provides details about the compatibility of current and previous versions of VMware vSphere components, including ESXi, vCenter Server and optional VMware products. The compatibility for vCenter Server also apply to vSphere Update Manager server and the UMDS. The vSphere Update Manager, vSphere Web Client and vSphere Client are packaged with vCenter Server.

In addition, check this site for information about supported management and backup agents before installing ESXi or vCenter Server.

Operating Systems that Support Installation of the Update Manager Server and UMDS

To see a list of operating systems on which you can install the Update Manager server and the UMDS, see Supported host operating systems for VMware vCenter Server installation. The supported host operating systems for vCenter Server installation listed in the article also apply for installation of the respective versions of the Update Manager server and the UMDS.

Databases that Support Installation of the Update Manager Server and UMDS

The Solution/Database Interoperability option from the VMware Product Interoperability Matrix provides information about the databases that are compatible with vCenter Server. The database compatibility for vCenter Server also apply to vSphere Update Manager server and the UMDS.

Operations with vSphere Inventory Objects that Update Manager supports

  • Host patching of the following host version:
    • ESXi 5.5
    • ESXi 6.0
    • ESXi 6.5
  • Host upgrades from ESXi 5.5 and ESXi 6.0 and their respective update releases to ESXi 6.5 Update 2
  • Upgrades of VMware Tools and virtual hardware for virtual machines
  • Upgrades of virtual appliances

 

Supported Operating Systems for Upgrade of VMware Tools and Virtual Hardware

Note: The following is the list of Operating Systems supported for Upgrade of VMware Tools and Virtual Hardware:
  • Windows Server 2016 Datacenter Edition 64-bit
  • Windows Server 10 Enterprise Edition 32-bit
  • Windows 8.1 Update 3 Enterprise Edition 32-bit
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Update 3 Datacenter Edition 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition 64-bit
  • Windows 7 SP1 Enterprise Edition 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Datacenter Edition 64-bit
  • Windows 10 RTM
  • Windows 8.1 Update 1 [Professional/Enterprise] 32-bit
  • Windows 8.1 Update 1 [Professional/Enterprise] 64-bit
  • Windows 8.1 [Professional/Enterprise] 32-bit
  • Windows 8.1 [Professional/Enterprise] 64-bit
  • Windows 8 [Professional/Enterprise] 32-bit
  • Windows 8 [Professional/Enterprise] 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Update 1 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2012 [Standard/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows 7 [Professional/Enterprise] 32-bit
  • Windows 7 [Professional/Enterprise] 64-bit
  • Windows 7 [Professional/Enterprise] 32-bit SP1
  • Windows 7 [Professional/Enterprise] 64-bit SP1
  • Windows Server 2008 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 32-bit
  • Windows Server 2008 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2008 SP2 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 32-bit
  • Windows Server 2008 SP2 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit
  • Windows XP Professional 32-bit (SP3 required)
  • Windows XP Professional 64-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows Server 2003 R2 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 32-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows Server 2003 R2 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows Vista [Business/Enterprise] 32-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows Vista [Business/Enterprise] 64-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows Server 2003 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 32-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows Server 2003 [Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter] 64-bit (SP2 required)
  • Windows 2000 [Professional/Server/Advanced Server/Datacenter Server] 32-bit
  • Windows 2000 [Professional/Server/Advanced Server/Datacenter Server] 64-bit
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.2
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.0
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.10
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2
  • CentOS 6.9
  • CentOS 6.5
  • CentOS 6
  • CentOS 5.10
  • CentOS 5
  • CentOS 4
  • Debian 8.1
  • Debian 8
  • Debian 6
  • Debian 5
  • Debian 4
  • Ubuntu non LTS 15.04
  • Ubuntu 17.x
  • Ubuntu 14.04
  • Ubuntu 13.10
  • Ubuntu 11.x
  • Ubuntu 10.x
  • Ubuntu 9.x
  • Ubuntu 8.x
  • Ubuntu 7.x
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 7.0
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 6.7
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 6.5
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 6
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 5.1
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 5
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux 4
  • Oracle Enterprise Linux UEK3 Update 5
  • Asianux 4
  • Asianux 3

Linux guest operating systems using Open VM Tools or Operating System Specific Packages are managed using distribution-specific package management tools, such as Yum or Apt. Update Manager does not support upgrading of VM Tools or Virtual Hardware version for such Linux virtual machines.

Resolved Issues

  • Downloading files with UMDS from HTTPS sources fails

    When using UMDS to download files from HTTPS sources, the download attempt fails with an error about a peer certificate that cannot be authenticated with the provided CA certificate.

    The issue is resolved in this release.

  • Configuration options for vSphere Update Manager are missing

    After patching the vCenter Server Appliance, the Update Manager configuration properties file is reset and is left empty. Later, when you navigate to vSphere Web Client Home > Administration > System Configuration > Services > VMware vSphere Update Manager > Manage, you can see that the Update Manager configuration options are missing.

    The issue is resolved in this release.

  • The proxy server password is logged in plain text in Update Manager log file

    When you configure the proxy settings for Update Manager, the password you set for the proxy server is saved in plain text in the Update Manager log file with filename vmware-vum-server-log4cpp.log. Having the proxy server password in the log file is a vulnerability.

    The issue is resolved in this release.

Known Issues from Earlier Releases

To view a list of previous known issues, click here.

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