VMware vCenter Update Manager (VUM) comes preconfigured with a couple of download locations to download your ESX(i) patches. By default VUM uses HTTPS to connect to the download locations. This is secure, but some companies want to know what you download and / or scan everything that you download. Therefore they request you to download your patches using HTTP.

To configure VUM to use HTTP in stead of HTTPS you’ll need to edit the following XML file (please create a copy before manually editing the file) :

<install location VUM>\VMware\Infrastructure\Update Manager\vci-integrity.xml

This file contains the host configuration settings for VUM. Change the following entries from https to http.

<ESX3xUpdateUrl>https://www.vmware.com/PatchManagementSystem/patchmanagement
</ESX3xUpdateUrl>

<ESX4xUpdateUrl>https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/index.xml
</ESX4xUpdateUrl>

<ESXThirdPartyUpdateUrl>https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/csco-main-index.xml</ESXThirdPartyUpdateUrl>

After you have saved the file vci-integrity.xml restart the VUM service on the server where VUM is installed.