With VMware downloads now hosted on the Broadcom Support Portal, users need to adapt to a new process for accessing product files. Broadcom provides a script-driven method to retrieve download links from the new depot, helping streamline access for entitled users for VMware Cloud Foundation and vCenter Servers. In this blog, we’ll walk through the key steps from the official KB article to help you use the provided script and navigate the updated VMware download system efficiently.
Following this VMware Blog I decided to write this blog for customers to allow to update their VMware-Broadcom Download Depots.
Requirements
- VMware Broadcom Download Token
- SDDC Manager FQDN
- SDDC Manager SSO user name
- SDDC Manager SSO password
- SDDC Manager root password
The process follows a few phases
- Create a Download Token
- Download the script
- Run the script
Create a Download Token
You can generate your own Download Token from here. In case of permission issues, you can find more info here.
A direct link to generating your download token:
https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/generate-download-token
You will end up with a 32-character length string (0-9, a-z and A-Z), which will eventually be used to create an authenticated, verified download link. This generated key is unique to your account; do not share this token.
Download the script
Download the script from the following Broadcom KB, at the moment of writing the script is named:
VMwareDepotChange-1.0.0.0.48.zip
https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/389276
Extract the file using your favorite extraction tool.
Run the script
Start PowerShell and run the script
Step 1: connect to SDDC Manager and vCenter Servers
Step 1a VCF Deployment
From the main menu, choose Option 1. Choose deployment type and connect.
If you choose VCF, you can fill in the necessary details
You will find out all Enhanced Linked Mode vCenter Servers are automatically taken into account.
The menu pops back up after completing. Step 1 has finished, go to Step 2.
Step 1b vCenter Server directly
If you are not running VMware Cloud Foundation, you can re-configure vCenter Servers directly…
Fill out the respective details, just like with the VCF option.
Step 2 Enter Broadcom Download Token
From the main menu, choose Option 2. Enter your download token.
As said, this download token will be used to create your own authenticated, verified download links.
Step 3 Scan current configuration
From the main menu, choose Option 3. Check depot configurations.
You need to fill in some of you virtual infrastructure’s components login credentials:
- Enter the SDDC Manager’s FQDN and press enter
- Provide the SSO User name, e.g.: administrator@vsphere.local or your company’s AD integrated account
- Provide the corresponding password
- Provide the SDDC Manager’s root password
The script will check the current configuration, which will probably be the default VMware Download Depot. You will notice that each (Enhanced Linked Mode) connected vCenter Server will be addressed by this script as well.
Step 4 Configure Download location
From the main menu, choose Option 4. Update depot configurations.
While analysing the responses, you will find that updates to vSphere Lifecycle Manager, the vCenter VAMI, as well as SDDC Manager (Bundle Management) are made. That’s it. You got the job done, it’s too easy
From the main menu, choose option 6, to disconnect from all connected vCenter Servers.
Step 5 Validate the components
When logging into the vCenter Server VAMI (port 5480), you can find the repository location updated as well.
Navigate to Update > Settings
In vSphere, navigate to vSphere Lifecycle Manager > Settings > Patch Setup.
Notice that new custom Broadcom entries were added, and the old VMware download depot are disabled (Enabled:No)
Also, when performing this activity after April 24th, 2025, the Connectivity Status will -probably- be disconnected for the VMware download depots.
Well done: you will be allowed to keep on updating from Broadcom Download Depot. Yippie!
Happy Easter to all my virtualization enthousiasts!