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kaychan
Contributor
Contributor

Best strategy to bring down an ESX server for maintnenace

Hi,

I want to bring a ESX server down so I would need to vmotion the VMs to another host.

I have not done this before so I have a couple of questions.

- If I put the target host under maintenance mode, could I still vmotion its VMs to another host?

- As DRS is enabled in the cluster, as I am "emptying" this host, I do not want VMs from another hosts coming over.

- Is there a psrticular procedural order that I should follow??

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Gerrit_Lehr
Commander
Commander

You cannot enter maintenance mode when VMs are still running, you have to move them first. If DRS and VMotion are configured and working, entering maintenance mode will automaticly move the VMs to the rest of the cluster and free the ESX Server.

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

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Kind regards, Gerrit Lehr If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".
weinstein5
Immortal
Immortal

As Gerritt indicated you can VMotion and power off your vms - once all the vms are powered off or VMotioned to another host your ESX Host can be placed into Maintenance Mode - also as he indicated if your host is part of a DRS cluster in fully automatic mode - by entering maintenance mode DRS will automatically VMotion the vms for you and not let you VMotion any to this host-

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kaychan
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the advice.

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azn2kew
Champion
Champion

Procedures to enter maintenance mode and update patches:

1. Download all patches from vmware.com

2. Upload all patches to /var/updates folder using WinSCP or Veeam FastSCP

3. Download ESX Patch shell script from Michael Knight can be find on google.com

4. Manually migrate all VMs to other ESX host or automatically vmotion all the VMs to other hosts if you have DRS fully configured and it should do it automatically. Enter maintenance mode can be done from VI Client or service console command line.

5. Logon to ESX host using putty and execute that ESX Patch shell script and it will sequentially install all the patches you downloaded and it should leave message "Please come back again" which indicate successfully patched.

6. Reboot your ESX host and than exit your maintenance mode and wait for DRS to bring back the VMs or manually migrate them.

7. Follow the same steps until all hosts completed.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!!

Regards,

Stefan Nguyen

iGeek Systems Inc.

VMware, Citrix, Microsoft Consultant

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful". Thanks!!! Regards, Stefan Nguyen VMware vExpert 2009 iGeek Systems Inc. VMware vExpert, VCP 3 & 4, VSP, VTSP, CCA, CCEA, CCNA, MCSA, EMCSE, EMCISA
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Gerrit_Lehr
Commander
Commander

Well, that applied for ESX 3.0x, but since Update Manager things are more automated and easier...

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".

Kind regards, Gerrit Lehr If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".
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crazex
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

If you are using ESX 3.5/VC 2.5 then it is very easy. Update manager takes care of everything. When you decide to patch a host it will automatically Vmotion all of the active VMs, and then enter Maintenance mode. Remember that you'll need to have DRS licensed and setup in order for this to work. If you don't have Update Manager, you can Vmotion your VMs and then put the host in Maintenance mode and either manually apply the patches or use a script to apply them. The VMProfessional script worked very well when I was using ESX 3.0.x.

-Jon-

VMware Certified Professional

-Jon- VMware Certified Professional
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r_engel
Contributor
Contributor

Can someone attach a copy of the Michael Knight script to this post?

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williamarrata
Expert
Expert

Why don't you just use a simple tool called "VMTS Patch Manager". Web site is

I've been using this for all my pre 3.5 patching without issues. Give it a try, you'll see how easy it is to patch your hosts. It does everything for you.

Hope that helped. Smiley Happy

Hope that helped. 🙂
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r_engel
Contributor
Contributor

Has anybody else has success using this utility?

Or are people still using the shell script by Michael Knight?

williamarrata said:

Ralph,

A new message was posted in the thread "Best strategy to bring down an ESX

server for maintnenace":

http://communities.vmware.com/message/964648

Author : williamarrata

Profile : http://communities.vmware.com/people/williamarrata

Message:

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williamarrata
Expert
Expert

This utility is highly used by myself and alot of my VCP friends and people throughout the industry. Give it a try, You'll be happy you did.

Hope that helped. Smiley Happy

Hope that helped. 🙂
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