You can run ESXCLI host management commands from the command line of the system where you installed the package and from scripts.
Host management commands require at a minimum access to the target server to run the commands on. Users must authenticate to the host, and can only perform tasks that they are authorized to perform.
Important: If an
ESXi system that you target is in lockdown mode, you cannot run ESXCLI commands against that system directly. You must target a
vCenter Server system that manages the
ESXi system and use the
--vihost
option to specify the
ESXi target. See
ESXCLI and Lockdown Mode.