There isn't a service console with esx 3i. For any commands you need to use the Remote CLI which needs to be installed in a VM.

There is a windows and linux installable version and VMware also has a preloaded appliance VM which can be used.

Check in the drivers and tools page for VI3 for the download.

http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/drivers_tools.html

I haven't played with the RCL that much. If you are looking for the commands that the service console provided you may be better off looking at moving to ESX 3.5 instead of 3i.

Hi aregnier42, page 148 of the ESX Server 3i Configuration Guide and the Basic admin guide states to use the VI client to connect directly to the ESX 3i server to perform the following tasks

- Firewall configurations to enable SSH service - see tab Configurations | Security Profile | Enable server and make sure it's running

- Create user accounts (if you do not want to logon as root") see Tab Re: how to get ssh access to ESX 3i?

- Grant user Shell access (same place)

I have never used 3i but if the doco says so it must be true

T.

The shift-O option was removed and was only part of the beta program.    To get access to the console you can type "unsupported" as described in this KB article http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003677 but this will only give you console access and not SSH.  You'll need to look at the RCLI (vifs) or other tools to copy a VM to and from your 3i host.

When you are doing  vmkfstools remotely, how do you find the lcoation of the VM folder you are wanting to work with?

Boot your ESXi server, wait for it to finish loading, and then do the following:

1. ALT-F1 to change to the main console.

2. Type 'unsupported' (you will not be able to see what you're typing).

3. When prompted, enter the root user's password.

4. Type:  vi /etc/inetd.conf

5. Find the line that begins with #ssh

6. Cursor over the first 's' and press the 'i' key (for insert mode)

7. Press backspace

8. Press ESC

9. Type SHIFT+colon ( and then 'wq!' to write and exit.

10. Type 'ps | grep inetd' to find the inetd process

11. Send the hangup signal to the process ID output from step 10 with:  kill -s HUP <PID>

12. You can now SSH into your ESXi server.

Regards,

Paul

Enabled ssh ok but ./etc/init.d/sshd or ./etc.ssh/ssh_config does not exist in 3i. How do you permit ssh logon for either the root or another user?