View source for Vihostupdate

The '''vihostupdate''' command, as the name suggests, is used for performing updates/patching on existing systems.


== Usage ==

In order to find out the command line arguments you can use with this command, do:

  vihostupdate --help


== Query the ESXi server ==

This command will allow you to see what patches, if any, have been deployed on your server at the present time:

  vihostupdate --username ''adminuser'' --password ''adminpassword'' --server ''hostname/IP'' --query

If you omit the username and pasword, you will be prompted for them when you run the command.


== List the patches in a patch bundle ==

ESXi patches come in a zip file that can contain a large number of patches.  You can choose to install any one or all of them.  In order to see what patches are in a given patch bundle, do the following:

  vihostupdate --username ''adminuser'' --password ''adminpassword'' --server ''hostname/IP'' --bundle ''bundlefilename'' --list

Yes, it still needs you to point it to a server!  Here's an example and output:

  vihostupdate --username root --password XXXXXXXX --server 192.168.X.X --bundle update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update02.zip --list
  
  ---------Bulletin ID---------   ----------------Summary-----------------
  ESXi410-Update02                VMware ESXi 4.1 Complete Update 2       
  ESXi410-201110202-UG            Updates ESXi 4.1 VMware Tools           
  ESXi410-201110201-SG            Updates ESXi 4.1 Firmware

You can use the Bulletin ID'd shown here to install individual patches.

== Installing a patch bundle ==

First, make sure you have downloaded the right patch for the right server.  If you're running ESXi, make sure it's an ESXi patch!!!  Second, the server will need to be in maintenance mode (I use the GUI client to do this).  Then, to install an entire patch bundle:

  vihostupdate --username ''adminuser'' --password ''adminpassword'' --server ''hostname/IP'' --bundle ''bundlefilename'' --install

For example:

  vihostupdate --username root --password XXXXXXXX --server 192.168.X.X --bundle update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update02.zip --install
  Please wait patch installation is in progress ...
  The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.

Then reboot your server and run the query command above to see which if any of the patches have been installed:

  vihostupdate --username root --password XXXXXXX --server 192.168.X.X --query
  ---------Bulletin ID--------- -----Installed----- ----------------Summary-----------------
  ESXi410-Update02              2011-12-21T08:21:52 VMware ESXi 4.1 Complete Update 2

== Installing an individual patch from a bundle ==

If you want to install just one patch from a bundle:

  vihostupdate --username ''adminuser'' --password ''adminpassword'' --server ''hostname/IP'' --bundle ''bundlefilename'' --bulletin ''bulletinID'' --install

Use the Bulletin ID from the list that the bundle contains.