You can update hosts with VIBs or image profiles by downloading a ZIP file of a depot.

VMware partners prepare third-party VIBs to provide management agents or asynchronously released drivers.

Important: If you are updating ESXi from a zip bundle in a VMware-supplied depot, either online from the VMware Web site or downloaded locally, VMware supports only the update method specified for VMware-supplied depots in the topic Upgrade or Update a Host with Image Profiles.

When you specify a target server by using --server=server_name, the server prompts you for a user name and password. Other connection options, such as a configuration file or session file, are supported. For a list of connection options, see Getting Started with vSphere Command-Line Interfaces, or run esxcli --help at the vCLI command prompt.

Prerequisites

  • Install vCLI or deploy the vSphere Management Assistant (vMA) virtual machine. See Getting Started with vSphere Command-Line Interfaces. For troubleshooting, run esxcli commands in the ESXi Shell.

  • Download the ZIP file of a depot bundle from a third-party VMware partner.

  • Determine whether the update requires the host to be in maintenance mode or to be rebooted. If necessary, place the host in maintenance mode.

    See Determine Whether an Update Requires the Host to Be in Maintenance Mode or to Be Rebooted. See Place a Host in Maintenance Mode.

  • If the update requires a reboot, and if the host belongs to a VMware HA cluster, remove the host from the cluster or disable HA on the cluster.

Procedure

  • ♦ Install the ZIP file.
    esxcli --server=server_name software vib update --depot=/path_to_vib_ZIP/ZIP_file_name.zip