Fixing LCMVROPCONFIG20013 in VCF 9.0.1

ERROR LCMVROPCONFIG20013 while VCF Operations update from 9.0.0 to 9.01

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ERROR LCMVROPCONFIG20013

Installed Tree: apt install tree # tree

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File Exsist on the Offline Depot

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Download the upgrade file again

Download the file again: sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VROPS

Pre-staged the VROPS update again
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Update successfully

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Upgrade VCF to 9.0.1: Setting Up an Offline Depot on Ubuntu

Upgrade VMware VCF 9.0.1: Essential Setting Up an Offline Depot on Ubuntu Instructions

If you are planning to upgrade to latest release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0.1 and you what to install/upgrade you need to have a offline depot.

I had some struggle with the VCF Fleet upgrades. I thought the VCF installer Offline Depot was sufficient. I seems not.

William Liam did a nice explaining about the options: VCF Software Depot Structure Deep Dive for Install & Upgrade. Which confirms my struggle.

Sow I build my own offline depot

Prerequisites

First, download the required bundle files from the Broadcom VMware portal. This includes:

  • vcf-9.0.1.0-offline-depot-metadata.zip (mandatory)
  • vcf-download-tool-9.0.1.0.24962179.tar.gz (mandatory)

On the Depot Server (Ubuntu)

Sizing for the disk is minimal 100GB I used 200GB thin Provisiond

I did a Ubuntu install on a 200GB disk (Partition without lvm)

Login

Login with the user account that you create

Sudo passwd root

Vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config

 if the following line exists, possibly commented out (with a # in front):

PermitRootLogin

Then change it to the following, uncommenting if needed (remove the # in front):

PermitRootLogin yes

sudo service ssh restart

now you can login als root

Install Apache and tools

Sudo update

sudo apt install apache2 openssl apache2-utils unzip

Create a certificate config file

nano ~/vcf-openssl.cnf

Paste the following:

[ req ]

default_bits = 2048

prompt = no

default_md = sha256

distinguished_name = dn

x509_extensions = v3_req

[ dn ]

C = US

ST = CA

L = LA

O = TS

OU = IT

CN = flt-depot.wardhomelab.nl

emailAddress = a@b.c

[ v3_req ]

basicConstraints = CA:FALSE

keyUsage = digitalSignature, keyEncipherment

extendedKeyUsage = serverAuth

subjectAltName = @alt_names

[ alt_names ]

DNS.1 = flt-depot.wardhomelab.nl

IP.1 = 192.168.150.246

Replace the values with your organization’s details.

Generate the certificate

cd /etc/apache2
sudo mkdir ssl

sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 \

-newkey rsa:2048 \

-keyout /etc/apache2/ssl/vcf.key \

-out /etc/apache2/ssl/vcf.crt \

-config ~/vcf-openssl.cnf

Create a basic auth user

Sudo htpasswd -c /etc/apache2/.htpasswd vcfadmin

Configure Apache

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/default-ssl.conf

Paste the following:

<VirtualHost *:443>

ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost

DocumentRoot /var/www/html

SSLEngine on

SSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/vcf.crt

SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl/vcf.key

SSLProtocol all -SSLv3 -TLSv1 -TLSv1.1

RequestHeader unset Proxy early

<Directory /var/www/html>

Options Indexes FollowSymLinks

AllowOverride None

AuthType Basic

AuthName “VCF Depot”

AuthUserFile /etc/apache2/.htpasswd

Require valid-user

</Directory>

</VirtualHost>

Enable modules and restart Apache

sudo a2enmod ssl headers

sudo a2ensite default-ssl

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Extract the metadata ZIP

Sudo chmod 777 /home

Upload vcf-9.0.1.0-offline-depot-metadata.zip /home/ with Winscp

Sudo unzip vcf-9.0.1.0-offline-depot-metadata.zip -d /var/www/html

Make sure this file exists:

ls /var/www/html/PROD/metadata/productVersionCatalog/v1/productVersionCatalog.json

Remove Index.html

sudo rm -f /var/www/html/index.html

Create your Download token

Create your Download token in de Broadcom portal

Create a token file in /home folder

Upload the VCF download tool

Sudo mkdir /home/vcf-download-tool

Sudo chmod 777 /home/vcf-download-tool


cd /tmp/vcf-download-tool

Upload the tool in /tmp/vcf-download-tool folder

tar -xf vcf-download-tool-9.0.1.0.24962179.tar.gz

sudo reboot

Run the following

Cd /tmp/vcf-download-tool/bin

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –automated-install –type=INSTALL

Download all the appliances

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries list –depot-download-token-file=/home/token –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type=INSTALL –sku=VCF


Upgrade

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component SDDC_MANAGER_VCF

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VCENTER

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VRSLCM

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VROPS

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component NSX_T_MANAGER

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VCF_OPS_CLOUD_PROXY

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VRA

Additional

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VRNI

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VRLI

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component HCX

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VRO

sudo ./vcf-download-tool binaries download –depot-download-token-file=/home/token -d /var/www/html –vcf-version=9.0.1 –type UPGRADE –component VIDB

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Upgrade Binaries will be visible

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On de SDDC manager

Open de VM console

Login with the root user

Vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config

 if the following line exists, possibly commented out (with a # in front):

PermitRootLogin

Then change it to the following, uncommenting if needed (remove the # in front):

PermitRootLogin yes

systemctl restart sshd

Copy vcf.crt

scp root@ftt-depot.wardhomelab.nl:/etc/apache2/ssl/vcf.crt /tmp/vcf.crt

Import the certificate into the Java truststore

sudo keytool -import -trustcacerts -alias vcfDepotCert1 \

-file /tmp/vcf.crt \

-keystore /usr/lib/jvm/openjdk-java17-headless.x86_64/lib/security/cacerts \

-storepass changeit

Reboot

Now u should connect VCF to you offline depot

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You want you upgrade to 9.0.1 ivm Edge Issue

Special thanks to vmtechnics for putting me in the right direction

Addressing Edge Server Issues in VCF 9.0 after a Shutdown

After shutting down the VCF 9.0 environment completely, I had 2 strange things.

I followed the shutdown order for the management domain.

Edge servers lost from NIC 2 and NIC 3 the network configuration
Edge Servers did not start, not correctly

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I deployed a third edge server. Two new distributed port groups were created.

These are missing for the edge01a and edge01b servers. These should not be deleted/missing after shutdown.

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Create a distributed port group with a VLAN trunk

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Set NIC 2 and 3 to this network.
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Edge Nodes’ Edge Cluster is running fine again 😊

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I found this on the Daniel Kruger Blog: https://sdn-warrior.org/posts/vcf9-ms-a2-special/

This is a known issue with VCF 9.0.0: When an edge is created by the Setup Network Connectivity UI, the system-created dvpg consumed by the edge gets deleted when the edge is powered on after 24 hrs. The port group assigned to the NSX Edge uplink has disappeared, making it impossible to use the network through NSX Edge. You can find the release notes here.

Build my lab nested, but not enough resources to do a full upgrade to 9.0.1.
So I build the lab again, but physically. More about that later!

I love testing things; you learn so much!

MS-A2: How a Ubiquity Flex 2.5G skips the 10G check in VCF 9.X

VCF 9 and 9.0.1 require 10GB nic.

I use for my homelab the MS-A2 with the 2 x 10GbE Intel X710 SFP+ (NIC 1 & 2 from the left). It is silent and fast and have enough power to run VCF 9!

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So I bought also the  10GbE SFP+ to Copper Transceiver

But when you connect the MS-A2 to USW Flex 2.5G switch on the switch side is 2.5G.

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But on the VMware side is 10GB 😊

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No need to do the following: Disable 10GbE NIC Pre-Check in the VCF 9.0 Installer or

Enhancement in VCF 9.0.1 to bypass vSAN ESA HCL & Host Commission 10GbE NIC Check

It working great! No need to buy expensive 10GB switch!

Running VCF 9 in a Nested Lab using vSAN ESA on a single host is that not great?

For the deployment I used a server that has 16 cores en 32 cores total and a lot of ram!

Installation on Nested ESX VM’s

For the nested ESX VMs I am using the generic ESX image. In my lab I’m using 4 nested ESX nodes for vSAN ESA (Minimum is needed is 3).

  • Ideally add 24 vCPUs to the nested ESX, but VCF Automation is capable of being deployed with 16 vCPUs
  • Check Expose hardware assisted virtualization to the guest OS under CPU
  • Add a NVME controller and connect disks to this controller if planning to use vSAN ESA (Don’t forget to remove the old Controller)
  • Add at least two VMXNET3 nics connected to the same network
  • Choose VMware ESXi 8.0 or later as the Guest OS version.
  • Change the IDE CD-ROM to SATA ROM (Failed to locate kickstart on Nested ESXi VM CD-ROM in VCF 9.0)

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Config the 4 Host for vSAN ESA

To config the 4 Hosts for vSAN ESA I used my own powercli script where I blogged about here: Config vSAN ESA host or VCF ESA vSAN Host the easy way with Config-VSAN-ESA-VCF-Lab-Host Script

You can download the script HERE!

Installing the Vib works still great. No problem with ESA  Pre-check: ✅

If you have problems check this great blog from William Lam: vSAN ESA Disk & HCL Workaround for VCF 9.0

VCF installer.

At first you have to deploy the VMware Cloud Foundation

The name of the installer is a little off: VCF-SDDC-Manager-Appliance-9.0.0.0.24703748.ova

Download token

If you don’t have a download token from the Broadcom support then it’s a little complicated. I won’t go into this in depth now but here is a nice article if you have a Synology Nas: VCF 9.0 Offline Depot using Synology

(Note: For any vExpert reading this… You need to claim your own domain name because build your profile is not working with a @hotmail.com or @gmail accounts, Noted by Broadcom)

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I looks something like this!
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10GBE Nic Pre-Check Issue

Next thing to do was: Disable 10GbE NIC Pre-Check in the VCF 9.0 Installer or this should also work: How to change the vmxnet3 link speed of a VM (Not tested)

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Deployment

I have deployed the beta in a earlier state. For deployment I used the same json file to start with.

VCF Automation will deployed automatically that was only the change that I changed it

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It’s running!
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Performance running Nested!!

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Above the screenshot from the host with de Nested VCF lab deployment it’s quite cpu intensive (2 x CPU 8cores / 16 Threads)

Optimalization

After the deployment I did three things
– On the vSAN ESA Cluster (Disable Auto Disk Claim) (Keep the warning away)
– On the NSX VM reduce the cpu reservation from 6000 🡪 2000 (It helps but not enough)
– VCF automation VM 24 cores to 16 cores.

NSX en VCF automation are really CPU intensive.

I had deployed also two Edge servers but the server did not like that. Edges are also CPU intensive.

I am thinking about adding MS-01 or MS-A2 for splitting some load.

Config vSAN ESA host or VCF ESA vSAN Host the easy way with Config-VSAN-ESA-VCF-Lab-Host Script.

William Lam created the vSAN ESA HCL hardware mock VIB for Nested ESXi.
It works great for vSAN ESA or for VCF vSAN ESA Nested nodes.

You can download the needed vib here

A whale ago I found a easy way to the deployment of a VMware SDDC based on vSAN ESA: VCF automated lab deployment with vSAN ESA

It works great. I a few hours you have a working VCF management domain on vSAN ESA.

Sow what about the script

For the Workload domain domain I created de nested ESXi vm’s manually .
And I did some testing for VCF 9 which I created the nested ESXi host also manually.

Configure by hand takes a lot of time. So I did some scripting and I used some code
from: VCF automated lab deployment with vSAN ESA

So I created a script that does the following:

  • Login on DHCP address en configure a Fixt IP address based on DNS name
  • Disable IPv6
  • Rename the local datastore to a uniek name with the name of the host
  • Configure NTP
  • Install the vSAN ESA VIB mock en restart vSAN mgmt.
  • Generate new certificate for the host with the correct domain name in it.
  • Enable KB372309 (10GB ethernet for vSAN ESA)

It works great for ESXi Nested nodes (ESXi 8.0u3b and ESXi9.X beta)

You can find the script HERE!!

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How to get Aria Operations (Skyline) Diagnostics working

On the 4th Oktober VMware Skyline was end of life.

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VMware Skyline was great:
• Proactive Issue Identification
• Automated Insights
• Health Scans and Remediation
• Integration with support

VMware by Broadcom are building critical Findings and Self-Help recommendations directly in product starting with VCF (from 5.2) and Aria Operations (from v8.18 July 2024)

Many of the other Skyline features are being planned for inclusion in future  releases in Cloud Foundation and Aria Operations. We will see what the future will bring.
But for now how do you get this working.

First Step:

Update Aria Operations to 8.18.2 (Lastest)

Second Steps:

1. vCenter (Don’t for get enable vSAN), NSX, VCF, Aria vRA

2. Configure log collection in Aria Logs for the following components:

• Configure vCenter server integration in Aria for Logs

• Configure log forwarding on vCenter server, ESXi hosts(automatically in Aria FOR logs), and SDDC manager

3. Integrating VMware Aria Operations for Logs and VMware Aria Operations

4. Connect Skyline Health Diagnostics (SHD)

5. In Aria LoginSight check the vRops integration checkboxes

Bij default Enable launch in context can be disabled when configured at first.

After upgrading and checking the settings its finally working 😊 (It can take some time).
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VCF 5.0 running inside Nested ESXi server with only 64GB Memory

So I interested to trying to deploy latest release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.0 on my Windows 11 Home PC witch have 128GB and 16 core intel cpu.

William Lee wrote a nice artikel about VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0 running on Intel NUC

Disclaimer: This is not officially supported by VMware, please use at your own risk.

Requirements:

  • VMware Cloud Builder 5.0 OVA (Build 21822418)
  • VCF 5.0 Licenses Through VMUG ADVANTAGE
  • Home PC (Not Special Hardware)
    – 128GB Memory
    – Intel 12600 CPU
    – 4TB of NVME Storage
  • Windows 11 with VMware Workstation 17

Setup

Virtual Machines

  • DC02 (Domain Controller, DNS Server) (4GB 2vcpu)
  • VCF-M01-ESX01 (ESXi 8.0 Update 1a) (64GBGB 1x140GB 2x600NVME 2x NIC) (Every Thin Provisiond)
  • VCF-M01-CB01 (4GB and 4CPU) Only needed through First Deploment

Network settings on my PC

  • 1 IP In my home network
  • 172.16.12.1 (To Fool Cloudbuilder)
  • 172.16.13.1 (To Fool Cloudbuilder)

Procedure:

Install en Configure ESXi

Step 1 – Boot up the ESXi installer from de iso mount and then perform a standard ESXi installation.

Step 2 – Once ESXi is up and running, you will need to minimally configure networking along with an FQDN (ensure proper DNS resolution), NTP and specify which SSD should be used for the vSAN capacity drive. You can use the DCUI to setup the initial networking but recommend switching to ESXi Shell afterwards and finish the require preparations steps as demonstrated in the following ESXCLI commands:

esxcli system ntp set -e true -s pool.ntp.org
esxcli system hostname set –fqdn vcf-m01-esx01.wardvissers.nl

Note: Use vdq -q command to query for the available disks for use with vSAN and ensure there are no partitions residing on the 600GB disks.
Don’t change time server pool.ntp.org.

To ensure that the self-signed TLS certificate that ESXi generates matches that of the FQDN that you had configured, we will need to regenerate the certificate and restart hostd for the changes to go into effect by running the following commands within ESXi Shell:

/bin/generate-certificates
/etc/init.d/hostd restart

Cloudbuilder Config

Step 3 – Deploy the VMware Cloud builder in a separate environment and wait for it to be accessible over the browser. Once CB is online, download the setup_vmware_cloud_builder_for_one_node_management_domain.sh setup script and transfer that to the CB system using the admin user account (root is disabled by default).

Step 4 – Switch to the root user and set the script to have the executable permission and run the script as shown below

su –
chmod +x setup_vmware_cloud_builder_for_one_node_management_domain.sh
./setup_vmware_cloud_builder_for_one_node_management_domain.sh

The script will take some time, especially as it converts the NSX OVA->OVF->OVA and if everything was configured successfully, you should see the same output as the screenshot above.

A screenshot of a computerDescription automatically generated

Step 4 – Download the example JSON deployment file vcf50-management-domain-example.json and and adjust the values based on your environment. In addition to changing the hostname/IP Addresses you will also need to replace all the FILL_ME_IN_VCF_*_LICENSE_KEY with valid VCF 5.0 license keys.

Step 5 – The VMnic in the Cloud Builder VM will acked als a 10GB NIC so I started the deployment not through powershell but normal way in Cloud Builder GUI.

Your deployment time will vary based on your physical resources but it should eventually complete with everything show success as shown in the screenshot below. (I have one retry for finish)
A screenshot of a computerDescription automatically generated A screenshot of a cloud supportDescription automatically generated
Here are some screenshots VCF 5.0 deployment running on my home PC.

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Problems

Check this if you have problems logging in NSX:
https://www.wardvissers.nl/2023/07/26/nsx-endless-spinning-blue-cirle-after-login/

Next Steps.

1. Reploy with use of the Holo-Router https://core.vmware.com/resource/holo-toolkit-20-deploy-router#deploy-holo-router

2. Testing if can deploy Single Host VCF Workload Domain, on same way by following this blog post HERE! 😁
A screenshot of a computerDescription automatically generated

If I can start another 64GB ESXi Server.

VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0 is Here

The VMware Cloud Foundation team is pleased to announce the availability of VMware Cloud Foundation 5.0

Waiting for VMUG Advantive to be updatet & Finding the time to test it out.

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