VMware Tools 10 - Help,My Windows has no YUM

VMware Tools 10 - Help,My Windows has no YUM

Hey VMware, what happened here? They've devolved VMware Tools out of ESXi but not left even a trail of breadcrumbs to follow for those of us who run Windows environments! Great for those Linux houses who use YUM, away you go but we don't all have MS Configuration Manager or license VMware Mirage to push out your of band updates....

Anyhow, I'm sure there are further Blog posts coming out of VMware but here is the history:
https://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2015/09/vmware-tools-10-0-0-released.html
Release Notes (Cute!):
https://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vmwaretools/1000/vmware-tools-1000-release-notes.html
Download from here:
https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=VMTOOLS1000&productId=491
This is an ISO with the Setup.exe and Setup64.exe inside it.

The official VMware Tools installation & configuration guide is here:
https://www.vmware.com/pdf/vmware-tools-installation-configuration.pdf

here is some initial info to help you install directly on windows:
So I took a Windows Server 2012 R2 VM and did an install using the switches on page 20:
Setup64.exe /s /v"/qn /l*v ""%TEMP%\vmmsi.log"""

This got me a silent install which upgraded existing components and automatically rebooted the VM. I then uninstalled the Tools and reinstalled them with the following switch:
Setup64.exe /v"/l*v ""%TEMP%\vmmsi.log"""
This got me an interactive install but the log file doesn't show the components clearly.

The install guide probably needs updating to get a full list of component choices. This screenshots below are from the interactive install:

The NSX components aren't included by default so a standard install will probably suffice.

So, how do we plan to roll this out in a Windows environment? Well, if you run Setup64.exe /x you get the msi file extracted to the temp folder.

So, now you can look at using WSUS to deploy the update:
https://wsuspackagepublisher.codeplex.com

• Logon Script?
• Startup Script?
• WSUS to publish 3rd party updates
• Powershell with psexec wrapper
• SCCM

There are various guides on the internet for each of the solutions above. Just test them carefully and work out a rollback plan in case things go horribly wrong!

Have Fun out there!

VCSA 6 Patching

VCSA 6 Patching

This post covers the patching process for VCSA 6, the vCenter Appliance. The procedure has changed in that you've to attach the patch ISO to the appliance and get command line dirty! No web interface this time around!! The old way was SO easy, check updates, install updates:

Oh well, web interface patching is no more!!

Your mission - To Patch with: VMware-vCenter-Server-Appliance-6.0.0.5120-2800573-patch-TP.iso
Upload to the ISO folder on your desired Datastore and attach to the VCSA VM. No, I won't show you how.....

I enabled SSH during deployment so I'm going straight to Putty for this. Log in as root:

login as: root

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.0

Type: vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services Controller

Using keyboard-interactive authentication.
Password: XXXXXXXX
Last login: Thu Aug 27 14:03:53 2015 from 192.168.10.199
Connected to service

    * List APIs: "help api list"
    * List Plugins: "help pi list"
    * Enable BASH access: "shell.set --enabled True"
    * Launch BASH: "shell"

Command> software-packages stage --iso
 [2015-08-27T14:04:53.239] : Staging software update packages from ISO
 [2015-08-27T14:04:53.239] : ISO mounted successfully
 [2015-08-27 14:04:53,465] : Running pre-stage script.....
 [2015-08-27T14:04:54.239] : Verifying staging area
 [2015-08-27T14:04:54.239] : Validating software update payload
 [2015-08-27T14:04:54.239] : Validation successful
VMWARE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
----Blah----Blah----Blah----Blah----Blah----50 pages later----Blah----Blah----Blah----Blah----Blah
Attention: Legal Department.Do you accept the terms and conditions?  [yes/no]
 [2015-08-27 14:05:32,653] : Processing software packages in update payload 21/21
 [2015-08-27T14:05:33.239] : ISO unmounted successfully
 [2015-08-27T14:05:33.239] : (19) packages staged successfully
 [2015-08-27T14:05:33.239] : Staging process completed successfully
Command> software-packages list --staged
 [2015-08-27T14:07:13.239] :
        category: security
        kb: http://kb.vmware.com/2115251
        vendor: VMware, Inc.
        name: VC-6.0.0b-Appliance-TP
        tags: [u'']
        productname: VMware vCenter Server Appliance
        releasedate: June 16, 2015
        version: 6.0.0.5120
        buildnumber: 2800573
        rebootrequired: True
        summary: NTP patch for VMware vCenter Server 6.0
        severity: critical

Command> software-packages install --staged

 [2015-08-27 14:07:45,693] : Running test transaction ....

 [2015-08-27 14:07:46,697] : Running pre-install script.....

 [2015-08-27T14:08:53.239] : Services stopped.

 [2015-08-27 14:08:53,824] : Upgrading software packages ....

 [2015-08-27 14:09:36,889] : Running post-install script.....

 [2015-08-27T14:09:37.239] : Packages upgraded successfully, Reboot is required to complete the installation.

Command> shutdown reboot -r patchingisboring

Took a few minutes all in all, but that was just a 72MB patch. Don't forget to disconnect the ISO!

The next patch was over 1GB !!

login as: root

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.0

Type: vCenter Server with an embedded Platform Services Controller

Using keyboard-interactive authentication.

Password: XXXX

Last login: Thu Aug 27 14:12:26 2015 from 192.168.10.199

Connected to service

    * List APIs: "help api list"

    * List Plugins: "help pi list"

    * Enable BASH access: "shell.set --enabled True"

    * Launch BASH: "shell"

Command> software-packages stage --iso

 [2015-08-27T14:14:06.239] : Staging software update packages from ISO

 [2015-08-27T14:14:06.239] : ISO mounted successfully

 [2015-08-27 14:14:06,927] : Running pre-stage script.....

 [2015-08-27T14:14:07.239] : Verifying staging area

 [2015-08-27T14:14:07.239] : Validating software update payload

 [2015-08-27T14:14:07.239] : Validation successful

VMWARE END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

----Blah----Blah----Blah----Blah----Blah----Mr Grey will see you now----Blah----Blah----Blah

Do you accept the terms and conditions?  [yes/no] yes

 [2015-08-27 14:14:26,435] : Processing software packages in update payload 53/53

 [2015-08-27T14:14:35.239] : ISO unmounted successfully

 [2015-08-27T14:14:35.239] : (52) packages staged successfully

 [2015-08-27T14:14:35.239] : Staging process completed successfully

Command> software-packages list --staged

 [2015-08-27T14:14:43.239] :

        category: security

        kb: http://kb.vmware.com/2115252

        vendor: VMware, Inc.

        name: VC-6.0.0b-Appliance-FP

        tags: [u'']

        productname: VMware vCenter Server Appliance

        releasedate: June 16, 2015

        version: 6.0.0.5120

        buildnumber: 2800573

        rebootrequired: True

        summary: Patch for VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0

        severity: critical

Command> software-packages install --staged

 [2015-08-27 14:14:54,797] : Running test transaction ....

 [2015-08-27 14:14:56,804] : Running pre-install script.....

 [2015-08-27T14:16:09.239] : Services stopped.

 [2015-08-27 14:16:09,937] : Upgrading software packages ....

 [2015-08-27 14:17:10,034] : Running post-install script.....

 [2015-08-27T14:17:11.239] : Packages upgraded successfully, Reboot is required to complete the installation.

Command> shutdown reboot -r ambush

VCSA 6 Regenerate Certificate after changing Hostname

VCSA 6 Regenerate Certificate after changing Hostname

Sometimes during the update of documentation things get missed. I was reading the vSphere Troubleshooting PDF on page 34 when I got lost. They were describing something not possible! 

"Error When You Change vCenter Server Appliance Host Name"

1 Log in to the vCenter Server Appliance Web interface.
2 Click the Network tab and click Address.
3 Change the host name and click Save Settings.

You cannot change the host name if the appliance uses DHCP to obtain an address.

4 Click the Admin tab and click Toggle certificate setting.

vCenter Server generates new certificates for systems that use default certificates. For systems that use custom certificates, you must regenerate the certificates manually.

I mean - WHAT Admin tab are they talking about!?!!

This is plainly wrong so I searched and found the following VMware article that thankfully addresses this scenario:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2112017

If you still have the 5.x VCSA you revert there first otherwise there are command line fixes to enter into VCSA 6.0 after removing the domain identity source from the vCenter configuration.

I assume this scenario exists when you upgrade and want to keep the old vCenter name after the upgrade is finished?

Cloudsystem 9.0 released

Cloudsystem 9.0 released

Well, HP Cloudsystem 9.0 has been released and is in the wild! I'm currently downloading the bits to start looking at this in my Lab and hope to follow up with a new installation guide and further blogs in the coming weeks so check back here!

Browse to the link below and scroll down and click on the link "Try free for 90 days":
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/cloud/cloudsystem.html

Next download the bits you require:

HP Helion CloudSystem Foundation ESXi 9.0-Sept 2015 7.32 GB
HP Helion CloudSystem Foundation KVM 9.0-Sept 2015 7.51 GB
MySQL Connector/J JDBC driver Aug 2015 2.24 MB
HP Helion CloudSystem Enterprise ESXi 9.0-Sept 2015 3.97 GB
HP Helion CloudSystem Enterprise KVM 9.0-Sept 2015 4.04 GB
HP Helion Development Platform + DNS as a Service for ESX CloudSystem 9.0 - software - Sept 2015 13.00 GB
HP Helion Development Platform + DNS as a Service for KVM CloudSystem 9.0 - software - Sept 2015 11.31 GB
HP Helion CloudSystem Tools 9.0-Sept 2015 1.87 GB
HP Helion CloudSystem OO Studio 9.0-Sept 2015 1.42 GB

(I've omitted the signature files which are also available for each download)

There is also an installation overview PDF:

HP Helion CloudSystem Software Installation Overview 0.08 MB

The main documentation library is located here:

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/enterprise/converged-infrastructure/info-library/index.aspx?solution=cs_helion#.VfmGGW7ZX3w

There are a host of docs, I've listed the most relevant ones below:

HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Network Planning Guide PDF 1.56 MB Sep 2015
HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Release Notes PDF 344 KB Sep 2015
HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Support Matrix PDF 326 KB Sep 2015
HP Cloud Service Automation Release Notes (4.50) PDF 207 KB Jun 2015
HP Operations Orchestration Release Notes (10.21) PDF 761 KB Apr 2015

HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Installation and Configuration Guide PDF 1.06 MB Sep 2015

HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Administrator Guide PDF 5.54 MB Sep 2015
HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Command Line Interface Guide PDF 539 KB Sep 2015
HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Operations Console Help HTML 177 KB Sep 2015
HP Helion CloudSystem 9.0 Troubleshooting Guide PDF 437 KB Sep 2015

That's as much as I'm going to cover here, happy lab-ing!

VCSA 6 Upgrade

VCSA 6 Upgrade

This post deal with the task of upgrading a 5.5 version of VCSA to 6.0 and finding out if we can somehow keep the same IP Address and Hostname afterwards. The process is kind of a side by side migration so I'm interested to know what's possible / not.

My Lab contains a VCSA 5.5 appliance with a single Host & a VM attached just to keep things simple. The Hostname is Labvc01.lab.local and it's on IP 192.168.10.82. I upgraded it to build 2646489 just to enjoy the old method of upgrading via the :5480 web interface one last time :)

I had difficulty adding a host to the VCSA 5.5 until I realised it was ESXi 6.0! I installed and 5.5 one and hey presto!

Now we've our source environment ready to go I've mounted the VCSA 6 ISO on my home workstation. This gives me the following view:

 I choose to use Google Chrome to launch the wizard here. Click Upgrade

Next Click Ok if you're on a suitable version, 5.1 U2 or earlier and watch out!

Next Accept or print the license agreement

Next type in the Name/IP and credentials of the ESXi Host you're going to connect to and deploy the new VCSA 6.0 appliance

Next, accept any certificate warnings. On the next screen interestingly we get to the nub of the upgrade, can you reuse the old FQDN and IP? Watch this space! I've tried using the old FQDN and it's giving out.

Next I've given the new appliance a different name in vCenter

Next I've filled out the source appliance options - I changed the default password for root but the administrator@vsphere.local password was still "vmware". The Existing appliance version is a drop down choice of 5.1 U3 or 5.5, take your pick!

Next a few notes on the process, Click Yes

Next size your VCSA, mine is a lab so tiny is fine

Next select a Datastore

Next this is where it gets interesting. The new appliance asks for a temporary IP address to stand up, copy the old config over and then kill off the old king in place of the new one.

Next review your settings and upgrade!

Next the upgrade process imports over the configuration before powering off the old appliance as shown below

Wait until the upgrade is completed as shown below

So what you have now are two appliances. The VCSA 6.0 appliance is power on as shown below and now has the old IP and FQDN. The old VCSA 5.5 appliance is dead. You just need to rename the vCenter entry to Labvc01 again after deleting the old one (backup & archive) and you're done.

A quick refresh of the web client and logged in again to be shown the same view but running from VCSA 6.0

Done!

So in summary, the VCSA upgrade does automate the process of keeping the old IP Address and FQDN alive which helps with backup and 3rd party management tool integration, once you're sure they are compatible. Nice work VMware!