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Disabling vCenter Lifecycle Manager automatic download using vSphere API

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By default, vCenter Server will automatically check and download the latest ESXi updates that can then be used by either the deprecated vSphere Update Manager (VUM) or its replacement which is vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM), both of which can be managed under the Lifecycle Manager section in the vSphere UI.

Interestingly, I have had a number of inquiries about disabling the automatic download setting using automation, as I assume users have setup Update Manager Depot Service (UMDS) instance for consolidated and/or offline access.


Disabling the automatic download in the vSphere UI is very straight forward by going to Lifecycle Manager->Settings->Administration->Patch Downloads and clicking on the Edit button to enable or disable the setting.

Because the Lifecycle Manager section combines functionality for both VUM and vLCM, it can sometimes be confusing on which vSphere API to use and this is important becauase VUM does not have any public API and only subset of its functionality can be automated using specific VUM PowerCLI cmdlets. This is another benefit to using vLCM, not only is it the replacement for VUM going forward, but all of its functionality is available using both the vSphere UI or vSphere REST API.

With that said, the automatic download setting is actually a VUM-based configuration and as mentioned earlier, there are no public APIs for managing these settings. However, I recently found a clever workaround that would allow users to automate disabling this setting.

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Is my vSphere Cluster managed by vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) as a Desired Image or Baseline?

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Prior to vSphere 7.0, ESXi lifecycle management has been provided by vSphere Update Manager (VUM), which has been around for more than a decade plus and is most likely what you are still using today. With the release of vSphere 7.0, VMware introduced a brand new lifecycle management solution for ESXi called vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM), which you can read more about HERE.


While VMware has made it clear that vLCM will be the future going forward for ESXi lifecycle management, we also understand that most customers will still be using the existing VUM-based solution and we wanted to make sure it was easy to  transition between the two solutions, especially within the vSphere UI.

An interesting question was recently brought up was how to determine whether a vSphere Cluster was using the new vLCM solution based on desired images versus VUM, which uses baselines?

Note: If you are not familiar between vLCM Desired Image and VUM Baselines, be sure to check out this helpful resource HERE.

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How to configure Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) database for vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) in an air-gapped environment?

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I was setting up another vSphere 8 environment in my homelab using my handy Automated vSphere & vSAN 8 Lab Deployment Script and I was reminded of another vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) question that I had received during VMware Explore Barcelona 2022.

The question was about configuring vCenter Server that would include full vLCM functionality in an air-gapped environment, where internet connectivity would not be available directly or in-directly through the use of a network proxy. Today, the VMware HCL database that is integrated with vLCM can only be synchronized when when your vCenter Server is connected to VMware's online repository when VMware's Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) is enabled.


To synchronize the VMware HCL database using the vSphere UI, navigate to the vLCM administrator page and under Actions, select the Sync HCL operation, which will download the latest HCL database from VMware's online repo. You can also automate this using the vLCM REST API with the Update Compatibility Data Task API.

Here is a quick PowerCLI snippet performing the same operation but using the API instead:

Connect-CiSServer -Server vcsa.primp-industries.local -user administrator[at]vsphere[dot]local -Password VMware1!
$hclCompatDataService = Get-CisService -Name com.vmware.esx.hcl.compatibility_data
$hclLastUpdateOnline = $hclCompatDataService.get().updated_at

$hclCompatDataService.'update$task'()

However, for environments that can not connect to VMware's online repo, this poses a big operational challenge, especially for those looking to transition from vSphere Update Manager (VUM) to vLCM. For the vSAN HCL, we already provide a solution for air-gapped environments by providing an offline copy of the vSAN HCL database which detailed in VMware KB 2145116.

If a connected vCenter Server can download the VMware HCL that vLCM uses, I figure it should also be possible to replicate that behavior for an air-gapped environment? 🤔

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