Apple Software Update Server Updates Stuck Waiting

Standard

We cascade  Apple Software Update Server (read: ASUS), from a Master Server on our WAN as per the post here. So once an update is downloaded to the Master ASUS, the Replica’s should just replicate the updates.

This has worked great for a time, but we were missing some updates on a couple of servers. When looking in Server.app at the Software Update service it appeared that the missing updates status was “Waiting…”

Below can be found more details on the issue and the resolution.

What do the logs say?

As mentioned, these updates should just download from the Master. After a little “what do the logs say,” it appeared that they said EXACTLY what the issue was (See the lines in bold):

Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>:Starting product update downloads
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Warning>: Download cancelled for product 031-2431 (VPN Update for OS X Server 1.0)
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Warning>: There is insufficient free space to host additional downloads.
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Warning>: The volume for /Library/Server/Software Update/Data/
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Warning>: has reached the mimimum free space reserved for this volume type
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Warning>: * volume reserve (system) : 20%
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Warning>: * updates volume free space : 19%
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: To resume downloads, create additional free space by deleting items from the
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: current updates volume or configure the updates folder using a volume with
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: additional free space. Alternate volume reserve settings may be configured
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: in /Library/Server/Software Update/Config/swupd.plist by adding (or editing) the following settings:
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: <key>volumeReserve</key>
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: <integer>5</integer>
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: <key>systemVolumeReserve</key>
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: <integer>20</integer>
Dec 22 23:28:04 mac-server.fqdn swupd_syncd[93955] <Info>: where the <integer></integer> value represents the minumum percentage

The fix

The below script, simply does what is mentioned above. With the variable at $4 being the percentage of the system volume your happy to have left.

For me, I left it at 5% as these Replica’s are only for client management via ASUS, NetInstall & CasperShare.

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