ESXi 6 Remote upgrade

Solution

Update ESXi using ESXCLI

Note: The command line update process is complicated by the confusing array of VMWare profile names, version numbers and build numbers. Locating the correct update method can be tediously painful as VMWare appear to hide the repository behind countless web portals.

At time of writing the update package library is available at VMWare Patch Download Center

After selecting the latest patch bundle, click the View Details link to jump to the release notes.

Profile names supported by the update bundle are found in the release notes.

E.g.

Release Name = ESXi670-202103001

Release Date = 2021-03-18

Build Number = 17700523

File Name = ESXi670-202103001.zip

Profile names = ESXi-6.7.0-20210304001-standard, ESXi-6.7.0-20210304001-no-tools, ESXi-6.7.0-20210301001s-standard, ESXi-6.7.0-20210301001s-no-tools

There are two options available install and update

update command is the recommended method for patch application. Contents of the patch that are a lower revision than the existing packages on the system are not applied
install command overwrites the existing packages in the system. The install command may downgrade packages on the system and should be used with cautio

Local Update

1. Download the ESXi offline bundle and transfer to the hosts datastore,

Download VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) Offline Bundle

2. Recommended to shut down any running VMs

3. ssh to the host

4. Enter Maintenance Mode on the host

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

5. Initiate the upgrade

esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/<path to offline bundle>.zip

6. After the update has completed reboot the host

reboot

8. Exit maintenance mode and restart VMs on the host

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

9. VMTools may need to be reinstalled in guest O/S'

Online update - download the update file directly from the VMWare repos

Note:
i) Swap must be enabled on the datastore to avoid 'No space left on device' error
See Host\Manage\System\Swap
ii) The update command will fail for hosts booting from flash devices
Use 'install' in place of 'update'

1. Shut down VMs guests running on the host

2. SSH to the host

3. Gather the ESXi version and software image information

esxcli system version get

esxcli software profile get

4. Check the internal firewall allows host to reach the internet
Note: firewall rule names are case sensitive

esxcli network firewall ruleset list

esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e true -r httpClient

5. Enter maintenance mode

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

6. Update the host from the repository

esxcli software profile update -d https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml -p <profile string>