IBM Cloud Docs
VCSA update and SSO-linked vCenters

VCSA update and SSO-linked vCenters

PSC and VCSA update

Both the VMware vCenter® Server Appliance (VCSA) and the Platform Services Controller (PSC) are VCSA appliances but with different roles. When you upgrade vSphere® with an external PSC, upgrade in the following sequence:

  1. PSC
  2. VCSA
  3. ESXi™ hosts
  4. The hardware versions and VMware® Tools in the virtual machines (VMs)

VMware Update Manager (VUM) does not update the PSC or the VCSA. The following information describes the process of updating these appliances. The PSC or VCSA deployed in a VMware Cloud Foundation for Classic - Automated instance has no internet access, so the update bundle must be downloaded to a jump server first.

The PSC or VCSA is updated through the appliance management console, not the vSphere Web Client. The PSC or VCSA appliance management console is accessed by using a browser, the PSC or VCSA IP address, and port 5480.

You must initiate a snapshot of the appliance or a backup of the PSC or VCSA before you update. Ensure that everything works as expected, and then remove the snapshot within a few days, to avoid performance degradation. Additionally, review the VMware release notes before you attempt any upgrade to understand any specific instructions for the specified release.

To update the PSC or VCSA, follow these steps:

  1. You can download updates by going to the VMware Patch Download Center, logging in and choosing VC from the Search by Product menu. Select the appropriate patch and click Download.

  2. Using the vSphere Web Client, upload the ISO file to the vCenter data store repository.

  3. Mount the update ISO file to the VCSA.

  4. Take a snapshot of your VCSA.

  5. Log in to vCenter appliance management console at https://pscip:5480 (for the PSC) or https://vcenterip:5480 (for the VCSA)

  6. Go to the Update section and select Check Updates and then Check CDROM. The update is listed.

  7. Select Install Updates and Accept the EULA. The update installs.

  8. After the update is complete, you must go back to the appliance management console and select to restart the console.

  9. Log back into the vSphere Web Client and check for any errors. Complete the following steps to scan VUM manually:

    1. Go to Home > Hosts and Cluster.
    2. Select a data center or cluster, click the Update Manager tab, and then click Scan for Updates.

  10. After testing, if you need to back out, revert to snapshot or restore the vCenter with a previous backup.

SSO-linked VCF for Classic - Automated instances

If you have primary and secondary VCF for Classic - Automated instances, then your VCSAs are configured to be in a single vCenter Single Sign-On (SSO) domain. Each VCSA has a deployed VUM instance. The configuration properties that you modify are applied only to the VUM instance that you specify and are not propagated to the other instances in the group.

You can specify a VUM instance by selecting the name of the VCSA with which the VUM instance is registered from the navigation bar. You can also manage baselines, baseline groups, scan, and remediate only the inventory objects that are managed by the VCSA with which the VUM instance is registered.