Vmware ESX and Update manager - question No.2

[rimvydukas]

Hi,

I have Virtual Center 2.5 and Vmware update manager installed on virtual machine which runs on ESX server. I configured Update manager to download updates for ESX. My question would be - is it possible to update ESX server using such an configuration? Thanks.

[LarsLiljeroth]

Yes ... it is possible as long as the guest server running the Update manager is not running on the ESX host you are updating. The host is set to maintenance mode when

you start the remediation of the server.

In a DRS cluster it will work just fine because the guest will just migrate away before updating the host...

[dkfbp]

You gotta love the word "Remediate"

[rimvydukas]

But if Update Manager runs on VM which runs on ESX I want to update and if there is only one ESX without any DRS?:)

Is answer NO?

And what exactly does happen when ESX is put in maintenance mode?

[LarsLiljeroth]

You are just right !

This is because the server goes in to Maintenance mode and in maitenance mode NO virtual machine can run....

So you can one put a server in maintenance mode when all guests is shut down. Try it out and you will get the popup info

/Lars

[rimvydukas]

Thanks Lars:)

As I can see I need to bring up second ESX server:) Thanks for your help.

[LarsLiljeroth · Accepted solution]

Yes i thing you do and that is also whenb you get all the other cool features DRS, HA ...

So that was a correct answer ... ? points points...

[rimvydukas]

Ok, ok, as you wish:)

[LarsLiljeroth]

Thx alot

[dkfbp]

If you only have one ESX host you could take a look at VMTS patch manager

http://www.vmts.net/VMTSPatchManager.htm

You can install it on your local PC and use that to update your ESX host.