Dell Equallogic MEM 1.4 VUM Error "invalid vendor code"

Yep, that's what I did on a test environment yesterday and it worked. I also was bothered by the package showing 3 separate bulletins instead of a single one. I modified the following files:

  [this fixes the inability to import the extension into Update Manager]
  index.xml : replaced the incorrect vendor code “del” with “DELL”.

  [this fixes the extension showing up as 3 different bulletins instead of 1 that encompasses all 3]
  metadata.zip > bulletins : removed the two additional files and added the two missing elements to the section.
  metadata.zip > vmware.xml : placed all three sections within the same main section and removed the other two additional sections.

This package imported ok, I scanned for updates and it was detected, I remediated, rebooted and it installed fine.

This is unsupported of course and I asked TechDirect if they thought it was the correct course of action but I haven't received a response yet. I'll update the thread later when they answer.

I was just informed by TechDirect support that this is the correct fix. Also that they will be revising that version in the future.

We have the same issue :
"Invalid vendor code del in patch metadata, another vendor code with different capitalization already exists in database. Check the Update Manager log files for more details."

DEL is already being used by Dell isM and Openmanage. (and mem 1.3)
When I edit the index.xml this issue is resolved, but it wants to import 3 patches (mem 1.3 only imports 1 patch)

Just downloaded MEM 1.4 (1/17/17) and the issue isn't fixed yet.

Installed MEM 1.4 and went to verify by executing esxcli software vib list | grep dell-eql...

dell-eql-host-connection-mgr 1.4.0-426823 Dell VMwareAccepted 2017-01-17
dell-eql-hostprofile 1.3.0-407867 Dell VMwareAccepted 2015-07-02
dell-eql-routed-psp 1.3.0-407867 Dell VMwareAccepted 2015-07-02

So I'm not certain it installed correctly.

Anyways - I'm trying to follow your instructions for fixing the metadata.zip files and I'm confused.

I have 3 files like mentioned in the bulletins folder - what would I remove (the files ending in .0 and .0.0 )?

What are the two missing vibID elements I am adding and to which file am I adding them?

Also, can you please confirm the modifications to vmware.xml?  It seems I just cut and paste the sections and move them under the first ?

Thanks in advance!

Same here, I was not able to fix the package following the instructions.
I opened up a case with DELL (# ) but this didn't take me any step further. Recommended to install the vib with cli. At the moment I could not spend more time with that, I think I'll wait for next release, but very disappointed about the quality of that.

Best regards,

Alex

I also opened a SR, but the engineer didn't have much experience using VUM.  I was advised to use the CLI for the install, but have never installed MEM through CLI.

I can't believe the issues with MEM 1.4 and VUM aren't better documented.  Even more, I can't believe they haven't updated the package - I thought to myself, surely it's been fixed...27 days have elapsed since the unofficial workaround was posted on 12/22.

Sorry guys, I was on vacation for a couple of weeks. I'll answer as best as I can.

>Donald: "Do you have any other "Dell" software installed on your ESXI serves?   Or possibly did you upgrade from MEM v1.3 to 1.4?"

  Yes, I had 1.2 and 1.3 in these same ESXi servers and they were both upgraded without issues. This issue occurs if you upgrade from any version prior to 1.4 since they all had the vendor id as "DELL" in uppercase with two L's and 1.4 is the first version to have "del" in lower case with a single L. It's funny if VMware actually ordered this making everything inconsistent since the OMSA has a vendor id of "DEL" in uppercase with just one L. It seems to me that all Dell VIBs should use the same vendor id, although it can be difficult now with all of these different values out in the wild. I'm sure uninstalling 1.3 before installing 1.4 could work, but that's less than ideal.

>LR_Brian: "I have 3 files like mentioned in the bulletins folder - what would I remove (the files ending in .0 and .0.0 )?"

  Yes, correct.

>"What are the two missing vibID elements I am adding and to which file am I adding them?"

Before deleting those two other files, copy/paste the elements in those files and place them inside the in the file that youre going to keep. You will end up with a single with 3 elements inside. Then delete the files.

>"Also, can you please confirm the modifications to vmware.xml?  It seems I just cut and paste the sections and move them under the first ?"

  Yes, you're correct. Instead of 3 different bulletins, you should have 3 vib elements inside a single viblist which is inside a single bulletin. Of course, remember to remove the empty elements.

Hope this helps.

I opened a supportcase, and currently the cli installation is the way to go :

>The method with CLI will work however the ESXi hypervisor needs to be set in the Maintenance mode so effective a downtime window. Please try that again at suitable time and let me know.

Installation using the update manager not yet :

>Going back to the GUI - the update manager - VMWARE and Dell engineering are currently working on solution to this problem.

After putting the correct vendor in the xml I was able to import the VIB, but it did show three in the VUM. I tested just the install using the three separate VIB's through the VUM and it seems to have update the software on the host. I was running 1.2 and now it show 1.4. I have verified this through the CLI.

This was before I read the post about using the CLI.

Everything seems to be ok with the correct path selection. Any reason why this would not be viable?

I did the same thing with installing it through VUM, but when I ran esxcli software vib list | grep dell-eql it only showed the host-connection-mgr was version 1.4.0.

dell-eql-host-connection-mgr 1.4.0-426823 Dell VMwareAccepted 2017-01-17
dell-eql-hostprofile 1.3.0-407867 Dell VMwareAccepted 2015-07-02
dell-eql-routed-psp 1.3.0-407867 Dell VMwareAccepted 2015-07-02

I tried to follow the steps that were outlined to create one package, but I couldn't get it to work no matter what I did.  Ended up taking Donald's advice and used the CLI to uninstall MEM completely and reinstall MEM 1.4.

hmm this is mine:

esxcli software vib list | grep dell
dell-eql-host-connection-mgr   1.4.0-426823                          Dell       VMwareAccepted    2017-02-02
dell-eql-hostprofile           1.4.0-426823                          Dell      VMwareAccepted    2017-02-02
dell-eql-routed-psp            1.4.0-426823                          Dell      VMwareAccepted    2017-02-02

Maybe it is the version of the manager or ESXi. I upgraded vcenter to V6U2 and just started the process of doing the host and this host was my test bed for the rest of the host. Maybe it was a fluke this one time. I will find out shortly.

I did and looks and acts the same. I did not want to put it back into prod without a confirmed process of install.

Thanks,

Wayne

And on a side note after I originally tried to import the MEM 1.4 and received the error about the misspell of the dell as "del" I was not able to scan my host for patches which gave me the following error:

"Host cannot download files from VMware vSphere Update Manager patch store. Check the network connectivity and firewall setup, and check esxupdate logs for details."

This might have been a coincidence, but I had to rebuild the patch repository database and re-download all the patches. It scanned fine before the attempt to update the MEM files.

I had the same issue bigqwayne, I also had to rebuild the patch database.

I am also affected by this issue. After importing the customized VIB files I am unable to scan any host and had to revert to a previously created snapshot of VUM.
I opened a support case but haven't received an update since a week now.

Was anybody able to change the MEM 1.4 VIB files and import them into VUM with success?

If someone from DELL is reading this, please let us know when you are providing a fixed version of MEM.