Upgrading Hosts by Using ESXCLI Commands

By using ESXCLI, you can upgrade an ESXi 6.7 host or ESXi 7.0 host to version 8.0 and update or patch ESXi 6.7, ESXi 7.0, and ESXi 8.0 hosts.

vSphere 8.0 introduces configuration files, components, base images, and add-ons as new software deliverables that you can use to update or patch ESXi 8.0 hosts. For information about managing components, base images, and add-ons on ESXi, see ESXCLI Concepts and Examples.

To use ESXCLI commands, you must install Standalone ESXCLI. For more information about installing and using ESXCLI, see the following documents.

Note:

If you press Ctrl+C while an esxcli command is running, the command-line interface exits to a new prompt without displaying a message. However, the command continues to run to completion.

For ESXi hosts deployed with vSphere Auto Deploy, the tools VIB must be part of the base booting image used for the initial Auto Deploy installation. The tools VIB cannot be added separately later.

VIBs, Image Profiles, and Software Depots

Upgrading ESXi with esxcli commands requires an understanding of VIBs, image profiles, and software depots.

The following technical terms are used throughout the vSphere documentation set in discussions of installation and upgrade tasks.

VIB: A VIB is an ESXi software package. VMware and its partners package solutions, drivers, CIM providers, and applications that extend the ESXi platform as VIBs. VIBs are available in software depots. You can use VIBs to create and customize ISO images or to upgrade ESXi hosts by installing VIBs asynchronously onto the hosts.
Image Profile: An image profile defines an ESXi image and consists of VIBs. An image profile always includes a base VIB, and might include more VIBs. You examine and define an image profile by using vSphere ESXi Image Builder.
Software Depot: A software depot is a collection of VIBs and image profiles. The software depot is a hierarchy of files and folders and can be available through an HTTP URL (online depot) or a ZIP file (offline depot). VMware and VMware partners make depots available. Companies with large VMware installations might create internal depots to provision ESXi hosts with vSphere Auto Deploy, or to export an ISO for ESXi installation.

Understanding Acceptance Levels for VIBs and Hosts

Each VIB is released with an acceptance level that cannot be changed. The host acceptance level determines which VIBs can be installed to a host.

The acceptance level applies to individual VIBs installed by using the esxcli software vib install and esxcli software vib update commands, to VIBs installed using vSphere Lifecycle Manager, and to VIBs in image profiles.

The acceptance level of all VIBs on a host must be at least as high as the host acceptance level. For example, if the host acceptance level is VMwareAccepted, you can install VIBs with acceptance levels of VMwareCertified and VMwareAccepted, but you cannot install VIBs with acceptance levels of PartnerSupported or CommunitySupported. To install a VIB with a restrictive acceptance level that is less than the acceptance level of the host, you can change the setting of the host by using the vSphere Client or by running esxcli software acceptance commands.

Setting host acceptance levels is a best practice that allows you to specify which VIBs can be installed on a host and used with an image profile, and the level of support you can expect for a VIB. For example, you might set a more restrictive acceptance level for hosts in a production environment than for hosts in a testing environment.

VMware supports the following acceptance levels.

VMwareCertified: The VMwareCertified acceptance level has the most stringent requirements. VIBs with this level go through thorough testing fully equivalent to VMware in-house Quality Assurance testing for the same technology. Today, only I/O Vendor Program (IOVP) program drivers are published at this level. VMware takes support calls for VIBs with this acceptance level.
VMwareAccepted: VIBs with this acceptance level go through verification testing, but the tests do not fully test every function of the software. The partner runs the tests and VMware verifies the result. Today, CIM providers and PSA plug-ins are among the VIBs published at this level. VMware directs customers with support calls for VIBs with this acceptance level to contact the partner's support organization.
PartnerSupported: VIBs with the PartnerSupported acceptance level are published by a partner that VMware trusts. The partner performs all testing. VMware does not verify the results. This level is used for a new or nonmainstream technology that partners want to enable for VMware systems. Today, driver VIB technologies such as Infiniband, ATAoE, and SSD are at this level with nonstandard hardware drivers. VMware directs customers with support calls for VIBs with this acceptance level to contact the partner's support organization.
CommunitySupported: The CommunitySupported acceptance level is for VIBs created by individuals or companies outside of VMware partner programs. VIBs at this level have not gone through any VMware-approved testing program and are not supported by VMware Technical Support or by a VMware partner.

Table 1. VIB Acceptance Levels Required to Install on Hosts
Host Acceptance Level	VMwareCertified VIB	VMwareAccepted VIB	PartnerSupported VIB	CommunitySupported VIB
VMwareCertified	x
VMwareAccepted	x	x
PartnerSupported	x	x	x
CommunitySupported	x	x	x	x

Match a Host Acceptance Level with an Update Acceptance Level

You can change the host acceptance level to match the acceptance level for a VIB or image profile that you want to install. The acceptance level of all VIBs on a host must be at least as high as the host acceptance level.

Use this procedure to determine the acceptance levels of the host and the VIB or image profile to install, and to change the acceptance level of the host, if necessary for the update.

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 ESXCLI, or run esxcli --help at the ESXCLI command prompt.

Prerequisites

Install ESXCLI. See Getting Started with ESXCLI. For troubleshooting, run esxcli commands in the ESXi Shell.

Procedure

Retrieve the acceptance level for the VIB or image profile.

Option	Description
List information for all VIBs	esxcli --server=<`server_name`> software sources vib list --depot=<`depot_URL`>
List information for a specified VIB	esxcli --server=<`server_name`> software sources vib list --viburl=<`vib_URL`>
List information for all image profiles	esxcli --server=<`server_name`> software sources profile list --depot=<`depot_URL`>
List information for a specified image profile	esxcli --server=<`server_name`> software sources profile get --depot=<`depot_URL`> --profile=<`profile_name`>

Retrieve the host acceptance level.

esxcli --server=<server_name> software acceptance get

(Optional) If the acceptance level of the VIB is more restrictive than the acceptance level of the host, change the acceptance level of the host.
```
esxcli --server=<server_name> software acceptance set --level=<acceptance_level>
```
The acceptance_level can be VMwareCertified, VMwareAccepted, PartnerSupported, or CommunitySupported. The values for acceptance_level are case-sensitive.

Note: You can use the --force option for the esxcli software vib or esxcli software profile command to add a VIB or image profile with a lower acceptance level than the host. A warning will appear. Because your setup is no longer consistent, the warning is repeated when you install VIBs, remove VIBs, and perform certain other operations on the host.