VCF 5.2 Introduces new graphically interface to setup the offline depot, until 5.1 offline bundle was not GUI enabled . Bundles are essential for managing lifecycle operations, updates, and patches across the VCF environment. SDDC Manager supports two types of software depots
Online depot
Offline depot
You can only connect SDDC Manager to one type of depot. Lets us see the key difference between what is online depot and offline .
Key Differences Between Online and Offline Depots:
Internet Access:
Online depot requires internet connectivity for automatic updates.
Offline depot does not need internet access; updates are manually uploaded.
Automation:
Online depot supports automatic checks for updates, providing a streamlined update process.
Offline depot requires manual intervention for updates but is suited for secure, isolated environments.
To connect to the online depot, SDDC Manager must be able to connect to the internet, either directly or through a proxy server.
To connect to an offline depot, you must first configure it. See KB 312168 for information about the requirements and process for creating an offline depot.
Procedure :
Online Depot :
In the navigation pane, click Administrator -> Depot Settings -> Click Authenticate -> Enter the Authorized User id which has access to the broadcom.support.com portal.
This will connect to the Broadcom depot and fetch all the latest bundles to check click on Bundle Management like below image.
Before we setup the offline bundle 1st we need to use the Bundle Transfer Utility to download and transfer bundles to the offline depot and then any SDDC Manager connected to the offline depot can access the bundles
Offline Depot:
In the navigation pane, click Administrator -> Depot Settings ->Click Set Up for the Offline Depot
Enter the following information for the offline depot:
FQDN or IP address
Port number
User name
Password
Click Set Up.
Note: You can also connect SDDC Manager to the offline depot after you download bundles to the offline depot.
Both depot types ensure that VCF's lifecycle management remains flexible, whether for online or offline use cases, while enabling the secure and efficient deployment of software updates and patches.
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