VM Shutdown after installing a patch

[BPL5000]

On many patches, I notice "VM Shutdown & Host Reboot" listed for the patch. Does this mean the VM needs to be shutdown at some point? I'm going to upgrade the VMware tools and reboot each VM, but do you really need to shut them down?

[esiebert7625 · Accepted solution]

Yes the VM needs to be shut down or the patch will not install. If you try installing the patch with a VM running on the host you are patching the patch install will fail.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Thanks, Eric

Visit my website:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[BPL5000]

What if I have the esx host is in maintenance mode during the patching and all VMs are on another host in the cluster? I have 3 esx hosts and I kept the VMs running, but moved them from one host to another as I installed the patches. All 3 hosts have been patched and I never took down the VMs, but the VMs were never running on the server being patched. I'm thinking that now I just need to upgrade the VMware Tools and reboot... is this the case?

[esiebert7625]

Sure that would be fine. If the host is in MM and the VM's are on other hosts then there are no running VM's on the host you are patching. So in your case all you need to do is upgrade VMware Tools on the VM's and reboot each ESX host that has been patched to complete the process.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Thanks, Eric

Visit my website:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-