Cluster Eligibility to Use vSphere Lifecycle Manager Images

Switching from baselines to images requires that you set up or import a vSphere Lifecycle Manager image to manage the cluster with. As part of the transition, before you set up the image, vCenter Server triggers an automatic task that checks whether the cluster is eligible to use vSphere Lifecycle Manager images.

The Check cluster's eligibility to be managed with a single image task ensures that the cluster is not undergoing remediation against a baseline and checks whether all requirements for using vSphere Lifecycle Manager images are met.

Also, the task checks for standalone VIBs and ensures that no unintegrated solutions are enabled for the cluster. You might not be able to switch to using vSphere Lifecycle Manager images if unintegrated solutions are enabled on the cluster.

Note: If you use any third-party products or solutions, you must confirm with your third-party software vendor whether the respective solution works with vSphere Lifecycle Manager.

The task returns three types of notifications: error, warning, and info.

Errors

The Check cluster's eligibility to be managed with a single image task reports an error if the cluster contains at least one host that is not stateful or that is not of a compatible ESXi version, that is 7.0 and later.

Also, the Check cluster's eligibility to be managed with a single image returns an error if the cluster contains VIBs of unintegrated solutions. In that case, you must deactivate the unintegrated solution and retry the transition.

Warnings

The Check cluster's eligibility to be managed with a single image task issues a warning if the cluster contains at least one host with a standalone VIB or an unknown VIB. Warnings do not block the transition to using vSphere Lifecycle Manager images, but they require special attention or a user action.

For example, you see a warning notification if a host in the cluster contains a standalone VIB, for example a driver, for which a component is available in the vSphere Lifecycle Manager depot. If you want to keep the VIB, you must add the respective component to the vSphere Lifecycle Manager image. Otherwise, the standalone VIB is deleted upon remediation.

You also get a warning if a host in the cluster contains an unknown VIB. Unknown VIBs are standalone VIBs for which no component is available in the vSphere Lifecycle Manager depot. If vSphere Lifecycle Manager detects an unknown VIB, you must import a component that contains the VIB into the vSphere Lifecycle Manager depot and restart the transition. Otherwise, the unknown VIB is deleted upon remediation.

Info

The Check cluster's eligibility to be managed with a single image task gives an info notification if the cluster contains at least one host with a standalone VIB, but you can still proceed to setting up a vSphere Lifecycle Manager image for the cluster without any additional actions.

For example, you see an info notification if the cluster is enabled for an integrated solution, for example vSphere HA or vSAN.