VMware ESX hosts are patched according to a model where each patch bundle only updates a few components of the ESX installation at a time. Not all components of the installation are upgraded during each patch installation. When a patch is applied, the build number of the updated components changes. As a result, the ESX installation can have different components at different build numbers, depending upon which patch bundles have been applied.
- Log in to the ESX service console or locally to the ESXi host.
- In the command prompt, run the command:
#vmware -l
You see an output similar to:
#VMware ESX 4.0.0 Update 1
The system level base installation of the ESX host will be displayed in the query output. This is the system level with no updates applied.
- Log in to the ESX service console or locally to the ESXi host.
- In the command prompt, run the command:
#vmware -v
You see an output similar to:
#VMware ESX 4.0.0 build-208167
- Log in to the ESX service console.
- In the command prompt, run the command:
#esxupdate query
Lines in the output indicate the names and of patches that might have been applied after the original installation. Typical output is similar to:
----Bulletin ID---- -----Installed----- -------------Summary-------------
ESX400-200906401-BG 2009-07-08T18:02:49 Updates VMX
ESX400-200906412-BG 2009-07-08T18:02:49 Updates esxupdate
ESX400-200906404-BG 2009-07-08T18:02:49 Updates CIM
- Log in to the ESX service console.
- In the command prompt, type:
rpm -qa | grep -i vmware
This method reports build numbers for all ESX components (RPMs) including VMX, host agent, VMkernel, drivers, and so on.
- Log in to the ESX host using the VI Client.
- Choose Help > About Vmware vSphere
Note: In ESX 4.0, the packages are called VIBs (vSphere Installation Bundle). The VIB name contains details about the RPMs, including the versions.
- Download the patch bundle zip files as described in the patch bundle installation instructions.
- Before installing the patch, change to the directory that you use as your esxupdate repository. For example, if your repository is located at /var/updates, type:
#cd /var/updates- In the command prompt, type:
#esxupdate --bundle patchbundlename.zip info
Where patchbundlename represents the name of patch bundle.
- Log in to the ESX Server service console.
- In the command prompt, type:
# esxupdate info
This command lists all the VIBs.
- Log in to the ESX Server service console.
In the command prompt, type:
# esxupdate info -b bulletinname
Where bulletinname represents the name of the bulletin you are reviewing, such as ESX400-200906413-BG.
Sample output for the command: esxupdate info -b bulletinname:
Id
- ESX400-200906413-BG
Releasedate
- 2009-07-09T00:00:00-08:00
Vendor
- VMware, Inc.
Summary
- Updates vmkernel iSCSI Driver
Severity
- critical
Category
- critical
Installdate
- 2009-07-02T16:25:56.709691+05:30
Description
- This patch fixes an issue where iSCSI targets might disappear during controller fault or failover of an EqualLogic array. Currently, this issue has only been observed on EQL hardware. However it might not be specific to EQL arrays. Please see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1012232 for more details
Kburl
-http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1012232
List of constituent VIBs:
-rpm_vmware-esx-iscsi_4.0.0-0.5.175625@i386
rpm_vmware-hostd-esx_4.0.0-0.5.175625@i386
Another method of finding out the information above is using vSphere PowerCLI.To determine the system level and build number of an ESX 4.0 host using PowerCLI:
- Open the PowerCLI command prompt.
- Connect to the ESX or ESXi host which reported the warning using the command:
Connect-VIServer -Server ESXHostnameOrIPAddress
Note: Authenticate using an administrative user, such as root.- Run this command:
get-view -ViewType HostSystem -Property Name, Config.Product | select Name,{$_.Config.Product.FullName},{$_.Config.Product.Build} | ft -autoTo determine the patches or updates applied on the host, run this command:
Get-VMHost hostname | Get-VMHostPatch | Select Id,InstallDate,Description | ft -autoFor more information about esxupdate commands in vCLI, see the vSphere Command-Line Interface Reference.
- Log in locally to the ESXi host.
- In the command prompt, run the command:
#esxcli software vib list