As a VMware administrator, you understand the importance of keeping your infrastructure components up-to-date to ensure the security and performance of your private cloud. By default, a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) deployment will be comprised of a standardized bill of materials that specifies a combination of proven and tested versions of VMware vSphere, vSAN, ESXi, and NSX.
But what happens when you need to update one of the VCF components to a version that is newer than the BOM? In the past, to satisfy this requirement that may arise due to security or bugfixes, VMware has provided the Async Patch Tool. This is a command-line utility that administrators can use to patch a VCF environment with a specific update to a component such as vSphere or NSX. While it did satisfy the requirement, it required a separate download and several manual steps. There is now a better way in VCF 5.2.
Async Patch Workflow
VCF 5.2 simplifies the process of applying updates to your infrastructure because it can now automatically download and apply patches directly from the graphical user interface.
This gives VCF administrators the ability to select individual component updates to versions that are beyond the corresponding BOM, while also ensuring that the selected combination is still a fully-supported configuration.
Demo Video
Takeaway
The new async patching workflow in VCF 5.2 simplifies the process of applying updates to your infrastructure, providing greater control and flexibility in managing your VMware private cloud. With this capability, you can apply updates according to your specific requirements, ensuring the security and performance of your private cloud.
