How to apply patches to ESXi 5.0 via CLI

Here's an example of how to apply patches to ESXi 5.0 via CLI

current build number of my ESXi5 : 49512
latest build number as of 2012/10/17 : 821926

- enable SSH Server on the ESXi

vsphere client -> configuration -> security profile -> start SSH Server



- login to the ESXi via SSH and check the current build number and patch info

~ # uname -a VMkernel esxi5.local.localdomain 5.0.0 #1 SMP Release build-469512 Aug 18 2011 18:32:24 x86_64 unknown

~ # esxcli software profile get ESXi-Customizer   Name: ESXi-Customizer   Vendor: VMware, Inc. / ESXi-Customizer.v-front.de   Creation Time: 2012-10-16T23:50:03   Modification Time: 2012-10-16T17:32:02   Stateless Ready: False   Description:      This is a VMware ESXi 5.0 build customized by ESXi-Customizer      2.5   VIBs: OEM-00 1.0, ata-pata-amd 0.3.10-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-atiixp 0.4.6-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-cmd64x 0.2.5-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-hpt3x2n 0.3.4-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-pdc2027x 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-serverworks 0.4.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-sil680 0.4.8-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-via 0.3.3-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, block-cciss 3.6.14-10vmw.500.0.0.469512, ehci-ehci-hcd 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, esx-base 5.0.0-0.0.469512, esx-tboot 5.0.0-0.0.469512, ima-qla4xxx 2.01.07-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, ipmi-ipmi-devintf 39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, ipmi-ipmi-msghandler 39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, ipmi-ipmi-si-drv 39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, misc-cnic-register 1.1-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, misc-drivers 5.0.0-0.0.469512, net-be2net 4.0.88.0-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-bnx2 2.0.15g.v50.11-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-bnx2x 1.61.15.v50.1-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-cnic 1.10.2j.v50.7-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-e1000 8.0.3.1-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-e1000e 1.1.2-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-enic 1.4.2.15a-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-forcedeth 0.61-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-igb 2.1.11.1-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-ixgbe 2.0.84.8.2-10vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-nx-nic 4.0.557-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-r8168 8.013.00-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-r8169 6.011.00-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-s2io 2.1.4.13427-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-sky2 1.20-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-tg3 3.110h.v50.4-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, ohci-usb-ohci 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-ahci 3.0-6vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-ata-piix 2.12-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-nv 3.5-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-promise 2.12-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-sil 2.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-svw 2.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-aacraid 1.1.5.1-9vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-adp94xx 1.0.8.12-6vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-aic79xx 3.1-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-bnx2i 1.9.1d.v50.1-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-fnic 1.5.0.3-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-hpsa 5.0.0-17vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-ips 7.12.05-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-lpfc820 8.2.2.1-18vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-megaraid-mbox 2.20.5.1-6vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-megaraid-sas 4.32-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-megaraid2 2.00.4-9vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-mpt2sas 06.00.00.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-mptsas 4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-mptspi 4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-qla2xxx 901.k1.1-14vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-qla4xxx 5.01.03.2-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, tools-light 5.0.0-0.0.469512, uhci-usb-uhci 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512 ~ #

- download patches from http://www.vmware.com/patchmgr/findPatch.portal

I downloaded 9 files.
You don’t have to unzip these patch files.

ESXi500-201109001.zip ESXi500-201111001.zip ESXi500-201112001.zip update-from-esxi5.0-5.0_update01.zip ESXi500-201204001.zip ESXi500-201205001.zip ESXi500-201206001.zip ESXi500-201207001.zip ESXi500-201209001.zip

- shutdown VMs if VMs are running via vsphere client


- put the ESXi5 into maintenance mode

vsphere client -> summary -> enter maintenance mode



- upload the patch files to the ESXi5’s datastore

vsphere client -> summary -> browse datastore -> create a directory for patch files






upload patch files under patch directory






- apply patch files from oldest to newest

login to the ESXi via SSH

check the directory in which patch files exist

~ # ls /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ ESXi500-201109001.zip                 ESXi500-201206001.zip ESXi500-201111001.zip                 ESXi500-201207001.zip ESXi500-201112001.zip                 ESXi500-201209001.zip ESXi500-201204001.zip                 update-from-esxi5.0-5.0_update01.zip ESXi500-201205001.zip

apply patch from oldest to newest
esxcli software vib update --depot /absolute path/foo.zip

~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201109001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201111001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201112001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/update-from-esxi5.0-5.0_update01.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201204001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201205001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201206001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201207001.zip ~ # esxcli software vib update --depot /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/ESXi5.0_patches/ESXi500-201209001.zip

- reboot the ESXi5

vsphere client -> summary -> reboot


- exit maintenance mode

vsphere client -> summary -> Exit maintenance mode





- confirm the ESXi5 is updated



login to the ESXi over SSH

~ # uname -a VMkernel esxi5.local.localdomain 5.0.0 #1 SMP Release build-821926 Aug 25 2012 18:14:14 x86_64 unknown ~ #

~ # esxcli software profile get (Updated) ESXi-Customizer   Name: (Updated) ESXi-Customizer   Vendor: esxi5.local.localdomain   Creation Time: 2012-10-16T19:23:29   Modification Time: 2012-10-16T19:35:48   Stateless Ready: False   Description:      2012-10-16T19:23:29.358423+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-1.22.821926        tools-light   5.0.0-1.22.821926        misc-drivers  5.0.0-1.22.821926      ----------      2012-10-16T19:22:12.662430+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-1.18.768111        scsi-mptsas   4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.1.18.768111        net-e1000     8.0.3.1-2vmw.500.1.18.768111        tools-light   5.0.0-1.18.768111        misc-drivers  5.0.0-1.18.768111      ----------      2012-10-16T19:21:07.787149+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-1.16.721882      ----------      2012-10-16T19:20:14.742908+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-1.13.702118      ----------      2012-10-16T19:17:25.067708+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        net-nx-nic    4.0.557-3vmw.500.1.11.623860        scsi-mpt2sas  06.00.00.00-6vmw.500.1.11.623860        scsi-aacraid  1.1.5.1-9vmw.500.1.11.623860        ehci-ehci-hcd 1.0-3vmw.500.1.11.623860        sata-ahci     3.0-6vmw.500.1.11.623860        net-e1000e    1.1.2-3vmw.500.1.11.623860        scsi-megaraid-sas     5.34-1vmw.500.1.11.623860        esx-base      5.0.0-1.11.623860        misc-drivers  5.0.0-1.11.623860        sata-ata-piix 2.12-4vmw.500.1.11.623860        tools-light   5.0.0-1.11.623860      ----------      2012-10-16T19:15:56.812014+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-0.7.515841        net-e1000     8.0.3.1-2vmw.500.0.7.515841        misc-drivers  5.0.0-0.7.515841        net-be2net    4.0.88.0-1vmw.500.0.7.515841        net-e1000e    1.1.2-3vmw.500.0.7.515841        tools-light   5.0.0-0.7.515841      ----------      2012-10-16T19:15:04.463710+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-0.4.504890      ----------      2012-10-16T19:11:54.630155+00:00: The following VIBs are      installed:        esx-base      5.0.0-0.3.474610        tools-light   5.0.0-0.3.474610      ----------      This is a VMware ESXi 5.0 build customized by ESXi-Customizer      2.5   VIBs: OEM-00 1.0, ata-pata-amd 0.3.10-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-atiixp 0.4.6-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-cmd64x 0.2.5-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-hpt3x2n 0.3.4-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-pdc2027x 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-serverworks 0.4.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-sil680 0.4.8-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, ata-pata-via 0.3.3-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, block-cciss 3.6.14-10vmw.500.0.0.469512, ehci-ehci-hcd 1.0-3vmw.500.1.11.623860, esx-base 5.0.0-1.22.821926, esx-tboot 5.0.0-0.0.469512, ima-qla4xxx 2.01.07-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, ipmi-ipmi-devintf 39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, ipmi-ipmi-msghandler 39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, ipmi-ipmi-si-drv 39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, misc-cnic-register 1.1-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, misc-drivers 5.0.0-1.22.821926, net-be2net 4.0.88.0-1vmw.500.0.7.515841, net-bnx2 2.0.15g.v50.11-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-bnx2x 1.61.15.v50.1-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-cnic 1.10.2j.v50.7-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-e1000 8.0.3.1-2vmw.500.1.18.768111, net-e1000e 1.1.2-3vmw.500.1.11.623860, net-enic 1.4.2.15a-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-forcedeth 0.61-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-igb 2.1.11.1-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-ixgbe 2.0.84.8.2-10vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-nx-nic 4.0.557-3vmw.500.1.11.623860, net-r8168 8.013.00-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-r8169 6.011.00-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-s2io 2.1.4.13427-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-sky2 1.20-2vmw.500.0.0.469512, net-tg3 3.110h.v50.4-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, ohci-usb-ohci 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-ahci 3.0-6vmw.500.1.11.623860, sata-ata-piix 2.12-4vmw.500.1.11.623860, sata-sata-nv 3.5-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-promise 2.12-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-sil 2.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, sata-sata-svw 2.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-aacraid 1.1.5.1-9vmw.500.1.11.623860, scsi-adp94xx 1.0.8.12-6vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-aic79xx 3.1-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-bnx2i 1.9.1d.v50.1-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-fnic 1.5.0.3-1vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-hpsa 5.0.0-17vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-ips 7.12.05-4vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-lpfc820 8.2.2.1-18vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-megaraid-mbox 2.20.5.1-6vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-megaraid-sas 5.34-1vmw.500.1.11.623860, scsi-megaraid2 2.00.4-9vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-mpt2sas 06.00.00.00-6vmw.500.1.11.623860, scsi-mptsas 4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.1.18.768111, scsi-mptspi 4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-qla2xxx 901.k1.1-14vmw.500.0.0.469512, scsi-qla4xxx 5.01.03.2-3vmw.500.0.0.469512, tools-light 5.0.0-1.22.821926, uhci-usb-uhci 1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512 ~ #

- start VMs