If you do not have access to the Direct Console User Interface, you can enable the ESXi Shell from the vSphere Client.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, select the host
  2. On the Configure tab, select System > Services.
  3. Select ESXi Shell.
    • To temporarily start or stop the service, click the Start or Stop button.
    • To change the startup policy, click the Edit Startup Policy button.

What to do next

After you enable the ESXi Shell, you can use it through a serial port.