How to apply a XenServer Hotfix using the command line

This article provides a demonstration of the command line patch-upload and patch apply commands.

Requirements

XenServer host and appropriate hotfix for the XenServer version

Procedure

Use the following steps to complete the task:

1. Copy the downloaded XenServer update to the XenServer host. If in a pool, apply the hotfix to the pool master. Tools such as WinSCP can allow for files to be copied from a Microsoft Windows system to a Linux system, as shown in the screen shot below:

The example above copies Hotfix 6 for XenServer 5.6 Service Pack 2 to the /root home directory. The /tmp directory is also a good location. The important thing is to remember where you put the file.

1. Use the following command to upload the update to the pool database:
   xe patch-upload filename=<Path of file and name>
3. the screen shot below, you see the present working directory using the Linux pwd command, and see the file listing using the Linux ls command. Because you are currently in the same directory as the hotfix, you only need to use the command as shown in the screen shot below:

xe patch-upload file-name=XS56ESP2006.xsupdate

Once the above command completes, you see the new Universal Unique ID (UUID) of the patch. You can also find it using the following command if needed:
xe patch-list | more

1. Use the following command to Apply the patch:
   xe patch-apply uuid=<UUID of the patch> host-uuid=<UUID of the host>

Example:

xe patch-apply uuid=da76a27e-80d4-4223-a601-ac4b21925937 host-uuid=c9383181-27be-43dc-9a39-bf9b801582e8

Note: You might need to run the xe host-list command or copy the host UUID from XenCenter. Also, begin with the pool master. The pool master should then be rebooted before proceeding with rebooting slave pool members.

Note: You may or may not see messages such as "/sbin/scsi_id: option requires an argument — s" below. This depends on multipathing being on or if RDAC (Redundant Disk Array Controller) is used. The information below is typical for a standalone XenServer.

1. Reboot the XenServer host. Reboot the pool master first. Do not place the pool master into maintenance mode because this designates another host to be the pool master. You will then have a slave with a higher version than the pool master. Recovery would involve reinstalling XenServer; there is not a rollback process for XenServer hotfixes.
2. In XenCenter, on the General tab of the host, verify that the patch has been applied.

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