Update Manager checks for host patches and extensions at regular intervals. The default schedule settings ensure frequent checks, but you can change the schedule if your environment requires more or less frequent checks.

If you need the latest host patches and extensions, you might want to reduce the time interval between checks for updates. Similarly, if you are not concerned about the latest updates, if you want to reduce network traffic, or if you cannot access the update servers, you might want to increase the time interval between the checks for updates.

By default, downloading update metadata and binaries is enabled and the respective task is called VMware vSphere Update Manager Update Download task. You can change/modify the configuration of the task.

Prerequisites

Required privileges: VMware vSphere Update Manager.Configure

To download update data, the machine on which Update Manager is installed must have Internet access.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, select Menu > Update Manager.
  2. Navigate to Menu > Update Manager.
  3. Click the Settings tab.
  4. Select Administration Settings > Patch Downloads.
  5. In the Automatic Download Settings pane, click the Edit button.
    The Edit Settings for Automatic Patch Downloads dialog box appears. The Download patches check box is selected by default. If you deselect the check box, the automatic task that checks for notifications is disabled.
  6. Configure the download task settings.
    1. Select the Download patches check box.
    2. (Optional) Enter a new task name.
      Additional details about the task can be entered in the Description text box.
    3. To receive notification emails after the task finishes, enter one or more emails.

      You must configure mail settings for the vSphere Client to be able to use this option. For more information, see the vCenter Server and Host Management documentation.

    4. Click Save.

Results

The task runs according to the time you specified.

What to do next

To download all updates immediately, select Administration Settings > Patch Downloads and click Download Now.