About updates for disconnected operations

This article explains how to update disconnected operations for Azure Local. Learn how to apply updates to the appliance to ensure optimal performance and reliability in disconnected environments.

Get updates

Keep your disconnected operations appliance up to date. Follow these steps to download and apply the latest updates.

1. From the Azure portal, navigate to your disconnected operations appliance.
2. Select Updates and then select the latest version.
3. Select Download and wait for the download to complete in your browser. You can also use the script based download.
4. Verify that you have downloaded the following files: Docker.wim, OS.wim, Package.zip, EFI.wim, Manifest.xml, OperationsModule.zip, and Notice.txt.
5. Copy the files to a staging folder on the first machine (seed node), such as C:\AzureLocalDisconnectedOperations\Update.
6. Extract OperationsModule.zip on the first machine (seed node) to a folder, such as C:\AzureLocalDisconnectedOperations\Update.

Load the OperationsModule

To prepare the seed node for managing disconnected operations, run the following command to load the updated OperationsModule.

$applianceConfigBasePath = 'C:\AzureLocalDisconnectedOperations\Update'
# Import the OperationsModule
Import-Module "$applianceConfigBasePath\OperationsModule\Azure.Local.DisconnectedOperations.psd1" -Force    
$password = ConvertTo-SecureString 'RETRACTED' -AsPlainText -Force  
$managementIp = "169.254.53.25"
$context = Set-DisconnectedOperationsClientContext -ManagementEndpointClientCertificatePath "${env:localappdata}\AzureLocalOpModuleDev\certs\ManagementEndpoint\ManagementEndpointClientAuth.pfx" -ManagementEndpointClientCertificatePassword $password -ManagementEndpointIpAddress $managementIp 

Upload the update

On the seed node, in the same session as the preceding section, run the following command to upload the update.

# Specify the update package path
$updatePath = "C:\AzureLocalDisconnectedOperations\Update\"
$updatePackageResult = Invoke-ApplianceUpdatePackageUpload -UpdatePackagePath $updatePath     

Wait for update staging

On the seed node, in the same session as the preceding section, run the following command to stage the update.

Wait-AppliancePreUpdate -TargetVersion $updatePackageResult.UpdatePackageVersion 

Store BitLocker keys

BitLocker keys are used to recover encrypted drives if there's a system failure. Exporting these keys ensures you can access your data if an update or rollback operation encounters issues.

If you didn't export your BitLocker keys, run the following command to export and save them to a file. Keep this file in a secure location.

Get-ApplianceBitlockerRecoveryKeys -DisconnectedOperationsClientContext $context|ConvertTo-Json|Set-Content RecoveryKeys.json

Trigger an update

On the seed node, in the same session as the preceding section, run the following command to trigger an update.

Start-ApplianceUpdate -TargetVersion $updatePackageResult.UpdatePackageVersion -Wait

Get update history

On the seed node, in the same session as the preceding section, run the following command to view the update history.

Get-ApplianceUpdateHistory 

Update Azure Local (disconnected)

1. Identify the Azure Local node running the orchestrator service.

   1. Sign in to any Azure Local node and run the following command:

      Get-ClusterGroup
      

   2. From the output, identify the node that owns the Azure Stack HCI Orchestrator Service Cluster Group.

2. Exclude the internet-dependent test.

   1. Sign in to the node identified in the previous step.
   2. Go to C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\AzStackHci.EnvironmentChecker.
   3. Create a new file named ExcludeTests.txt.
   4. Add the following line to the file and save it: Test-ARBStackBandwidth

3. After saving the file, proceed to trigger the update on Azure Local.

Use the following PowerShell script to patch and update each Azure Local node in a disconnected environment.

$applianceFQDN = 'autonomous.cloud.private'
# Reboot the node for this to take effect
[System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("NUGET_CERT_REVOCATION_MODE", "offline", "Machine")

# Check latest "Check System Update readiness" daily runs
# Expect to see failed runs
$eceClient = Create-ECEClientSimple
$plans = $eceClient.GetActionPlanInstances().Result
$plans | Sort-Object -Property LastModifiedDateTime -Descending | ft InstanceID, ActionPlanName, ActionTypeName, Status, LastModifiedDateTime

# Host the OEM SBE manifest and overwrite location 
$OEM = 'Replaceme'

$client = New-SolutionUpdateClient
$client.SetDynamicConfigurationValue("AutomaticOemUpdateUri", "https://edgeartifacts.blob.$($applianceFQDN)/clouddeployment/SBE_Discovery_$($OEM).xml").Wait()
$client.SetDynamicConfigurationValue("AutomaticUpdateUri", "https://fakehost").Wait()
$client.SetDynamicConfigurationValue("UpdateRingName", "Unknown").Wait()

# Re-run "Check System Update readiness"
Invoke-SolutionUpdatePrecheck

# Check "Check System Update readiness" health
Get-SolutionUpdateEnvironment

# Manually add solution update
Add-SolutionUpdate -SourceFolder C:\ClusterStorage\Infrastructure_1\Shares\SU1_Infrastructure_1\import\Solution

# Wait for this to return to make sure the update is ready
Get-SolutionUpdate
$SolutionVersion = 'Replaceme' # Use prior output to find the latest supported version

# Run the update
Get-SolutionUpdate -Id "redmond/Solution$($solutionVersion)" | Start-SolutionUpdate

# Run these to monitor
$actionPlanInstanceId = 'ReplaceMe' # Copy output from previous step
Start-MonitoringActionplanInstanceToComplete -EceClient $eceClient -actionPlanInstanceID $actionPlanInstanceID

Related content

• Backup for disconnected operations for Azure Local.

This feature is available only in Azure Local 2602 or later.