To initiate the update process, you must choose whether the

vCenter Server

instance should obtain software updates from a URL or an ISO image. If you use an ISO image to update the

vCenter Server

instance, the image must remain attached to the CD/DVD drive of the instance during the stage and install operations.

The workflow in Figure 1 describes the standard steps of the update process.

You can automate checks for new updates and staging of updates by using an update policy. For example, you can set an update policy to make the

vCenter Server

instance perform automatic checks for new updates at midnight every day. If there are new updates available, the

vCenter Server

instance can stage them automatically. Using an update policy reduces the waiting time by automating the first two phases and giving you the option to initiate only the update phase manually.