Abstract: Examples described herein include systems and methods for efficiently and effectively applying upgrade bundles to an SDDC. The upgrade bundles can update various software components of the SDDC. A version-compliance configuration matrix provides version-compliance information across various software components to ensure that all components function properly after upgrading. Each upgrade bundle can include metadata that provides information sufficient to utilize the configuration matrix. A super bundle can include multiple upgrade bundles, as well as instructions for applying the multiple upgrade bundles in a particular order to avoid compatibility issues. The super bundle can be used to upgrade multiple software components of an SDDC without disrupting the functionality of the SDDC.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for allocating a host of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device to a workload domain, a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device including a plurality of hosts is managed, wherein the plurality of hosts is allocable to workload domains. A pool of unallocated hosts of the plurality of hosts is managed within the pre-configured hyper-converged computing device, wherein hosts of the pool of unallocated hosts have associated hypervisor versions. An allocation request to allocate at least one host of the pool of unallocated hosts to a workload domain is received, the allocation request including a requested hypervisor version of at least one host upon allocation. The at least one host is updated to the requested hypervisor version of the allocation request while the at least one host is in the pool of unallocated hosts.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed for upgrading services of a software-based service according to a predefined sequence to account for dependencies between services. An upgrade package that includes a manifest defining an order for upgrading services of the software-based system is retrieved. Each service is upgraded according to the sequence and a status log is modified following each upgrade to include a unified status summary associated with all services being upgraded.

Abstract: Examples for upgrading third-party services for a virtualized computing environment are discussed. A request is obtained to upgrade services associated with the virtualized computing environment. An upgrade bundle is obtained that includes a manifest defining an order for upgrading the third-party services. In the order defined in the manifest, each third-party upgrade is executed and a status log is modified to indicate the completion of the upgrade.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for updating schema of a database, execution of an application in a computing environment is initiated, where the application persists data in a database, and where the schema of the database is updatable responsive to an update of the application. Responsive to determining that the schema is updated, a first instance of the schema executing in the database is received, a second instance of the schema maintained in the application is received, the first instance of the schema is compared to the second instance of the schema, a difference between the first instance of the schema and the second instance of the schema is determined, and the first instance of the schema is updated to incorporate the difference between the first instance of the schema and the second instance of the schema.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for version aliasing mechanisms and cumulative upgrades for software lifecycle management are disclosed. An example method includes cumulating, by executing an instruction with a processor, a plurality of software updates identified in a first manifest file with a plurality of software updates identified in a second manifest file, the second manifest file corresponding to a version older than a version corresponding to the first manifest file; and flagging the cumulative manifest files as cumulative, the cumulative manifest file containing a plurality of software updates that update the old version to the new version.

Abstract: Examples described herein include systems and methods for efficiently and effectively applying upgrade bundles to an SDDC. The upgrade bundles can update various software components of the SDDC. A version-compliance configuration matrix provides version-compliance information across various software components to ensure that all components function properly after upgrading. Each upgrade bundle can include metadata that provides information sufficient to utilize the configuration matrix. A super bundle can include multiple upgrade bundles, as well as instructions for applying the multiple upgrade bundles in a particular order to avoid compatibility issues. The super bundle can be used to upgrade multiple software components of an SDDC without disrupting the functionality of the SDDC.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for provisioning a host of a workload domain of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device, a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device comprising a plurality of hosts is managed, where the plurality of hosts is allocable to workload domains, and where allocated hosts of a particular workload domain are of a same operating system version. A pool of unallocated hosts is maintained within the pre-configured hyper-converged computing device, where the unallocated hosts of the pool have operating system versions within a range of supported operating system versions.

Abstract: Examples described herein include systems and methods for efficiently and effectively managing upgrades to an SDDC. More specifically, examples described herein relate to allowing various upgrade paths that can upgrade an SDDC directly to a desired version, without the need for intermediate upgrades. The upgrades can be selected by a user through a graphical user interface (“GUI”) described herein. The examples further describe a version-compliance configuration matrix that identifies various acceptable combinations of software components and versions. The examples also describe a process for providing a customized upgrade package suited to a particular customer or user. Additional examples describe a mechanism for retracting and correcting bad patches or upgrades after they have been released.

Abstract: Examples for upgrading third-party services for a virtualized computing environment are discussed. A request is obtained to upgrade services associated with the virtualized computing environment. An upgrade bundle is obtained that includes a manifest defining an order for upgrading the third-party services. In the order defined in the manifest, each third-party upgrade is executed and a status log is modified to indicate the completion of the upgrade.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for software lifecycle management of a virtual computing environment. An example method includes determining if sufficient computing resources for installing the software are available in a virtual environment in the virtual rack system, when sufficient computing resources are not available in the virtual environment, identifying a spare computing resource that is available for use during installation of the software, adding the spare computing resource to the virtual environment, migrating a workload that is executing on a current computing resource to the spare computing resource, and installing the software on the current computing resource.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for maintaining unallocated hosts of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device at a baseline operating system version, a plurality of hosts of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device is managed, where the plurality of hosts are allocable to workload domains, where the plurality of hosts each have an operating system version within a range of supported operating system versions, where unallocated hosts of the plurality of hosts are maintained within a pool of unallocated hosts, and where the unallocated hosts of the pool of unallocated hosts have a baseline operating system version of the range of supported operating system versions. A new unallocated host is received at the pre-configured hyper-converged computing device for inclusion to the pool of unallocated hosts. An operating system version of the new unallocated host is determined.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for managing hosts of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device, a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device comprising a plurality of hosts is managed, where the plurality of hosts is allocable to workload domains, where unallocated hosts of the plurality of hosts is maintained within a pool of unallocated hosts, and where the plurality of hosts each have an operating system version. An unallocated host of the pool of unallocated hosts is determined as having an operating system version that is outside of a range of supported operating system versions. The operating system version of the unallocated host is updated to an operating system version within the range of supported operating system versions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for software lifecycle management of a virtual computing environment are disclosed. An example method includes determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a plurality of software updates to be installed on physical computing resources in the virtual server rack system, the determining based on a manifest file received from a software manager associated with the virtual server rack system, determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, dependency requirements for installing the software updates identified in the manifest file, determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, an order for installation of the software updates to meet dependency requirements, and scheduling, by executing an instruction with the processor, installation of the software updates identified in the manifest file.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for version aliasing mechanisms and cumulative upgrades for software lifecycle management are disclosed. An example method includes cumulating, by executing an instruction with a processor, a plurality of software updates identified in a first manifest file with a plurality of software updates identified in a second manifest file, the second manifest file corresponding to a version older than a version corresponding to the first manifest file; and flagging the cumulative manifest files as cumulative, the cumulative manifest file containing a plurality of software updates that update the old version to the new version.

Abstract: In a method for managing an upgrade of a virtualization infrastructure component, a plurality of metadata manifests corresponding to a plurality of software upgrade bundles is received, a software upgrade bundle for upgrading a virtualization infrastructure component from a source version to a target version, a metadata manifest comprising a listing of applications comprised within a corresponding software upgrade bundle and installation instructions for the applications comprised within the corresponding software upgrade bundle for upgrading the virtualization infrastructure component from a particular source version to a particular target version.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for allocating a host of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device to a workload domain, a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device including a plurality of hosts is managed, wherein the plurality of hosts is allocable to workload domains. A pool of unallocated hosts of the plurality of hosts is managed within the pre-configured hyper-converged computing device, wherein hosts of the pool of unallocated hosts have associated hypervisor versions. An allocation request to allocate at least one host of the pool of unallocated hosts to a workload domain is received, the allocation request including a requested hypervisor version of at least one host upon allocation. The at least one host is updated to the requested hypervisor version of the allocation request while the at least one host is in the pool of unallocated hosts.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for automating application updates in a virtual computing environment, an update script and a digital signature for the update script are received, where the update script comprises an application update for updating an application installed on the virtual computing environment. The digital signature of the update script is validated using a public key of the virtual computing environment. Provided the digital signature of the update script is validated, the update script is executed to update the application.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for updating schema of a database, execution of an application in a computing environment is initiated, where the application persists data in a database, and where the schema of the database is updatable responsive to an update of the application. Responsive to determining that the schema is updated, a first instance of the schema executing in the database is received, a second instance of the schema maintained in the application is received, the first instance of the schema is compared to the second instance of the schema, a difference between the first instance of the schema and the second instance of the schema is determined, and the first instance of the schema is updated to incorporate the difference between the first instance of the schema and the second instance of the schema.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for maintaining unallocated hosts of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device at a baseline operating system version, a plurality of hosts of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device is managed, where the plurality of hosts are allocable to workload domains, where the plurality of hosts each have an operating system version within a range of supported operating system versions, where unallocated hosts of the plurality of hosts are maintained within a pool of unallocated hosts, and where the unallocated hosts of the pool of unallocated hosts have a baseline operating system version of the range of supported operating system versions. A new unallocated host is received at the pre-configured hyper-converged computing device for inclusion to the pool of unallocated hosts. An operating system version of the new unallocated host is determined.