Installation guide

Table Of Contents
Machine Group mappings are not inherited. For example, if under the machine group called UNIX
Machines, you create a machine group called Solaris, the machine group mapping that exists for UNIX
Machines will not be applied to the Solaris machine group.
To Patch AIX machines
Deploying some patches might fail on AIX machines if the patch prerequisites cannot be resolved by VCM
using the downloaded patch bulletin content. This problem can arise with an AIX patch whose status is
StatusNotPatched, and where the Bulletin Detail indicates a patch dependency on another set of patches
whose dependencies cannot be met.
Although dependencies might not appear the Bulletin Detail, one or more currently irresolvable patch
dependencies might actually exist. The missing patch prerequisites can occur when some patch versions do
not become applicable until after other patches are installed. In particular, Maintenance Level (ML) or
Technology Level (TL) packages and their corresponding bulletins that are intended to upgrade between
levels might not show as applicable until the ML/TL upgrade has been met or exceeded. For example, if
you are applying a patch that depends on an intermediate ML that has not yet been applied, deploying the
patch will fail because the prerequisite patch dependency has not been met.
To resolve the patch interdependencies on AIX machines, you must determine the patch strategy used for
the filesets/APARS/MLs/TLs that are being updated.
Default Location for UNIX/Linux Patches
If you do not define an alternate location for the patches using machine group mapping, VCM Patching
uses the default location of /tmp. A temporary expansion of the patches occurs in the /var/tmp directory.
This directory includes the extracted patches and working files that VCM Patching uses for patch
deployment. This location must have enough space for these files.
This location must be available in single user mode because some patches on various operating systems
require single-user mode.
vCenter Software Content Repository Tool
To help you obtain UNIX patches for deployment, use the Software Content Repository Tool, which is
available from the Download VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Web site.
Deploy Patches to Windows Machines
Deploy patches to Windows machines that are managed by VCM Patching. These machines appear in the
Licensed Machines node. Click Administration and select Machines Manager > Licensed Machines.
IMPORTANT If a failure occurs at any point in the patch deployment job, the System Administrator must
check the status of the system, resolve any issues, and then reassess the machines.
Prerequisites
n
Follow the guidelines. See "Prerequisites for Patch Deployment" on page 141.
n
Verify that the Windows Update service is running (set to something other than Disabled) before you
patch Windows 2008 servers and Windows 7 machines.
vCenter Configuration Manager Administration Guide
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