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Gonzouk
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Saving ESXi 5.5 host configuration?

Hello,

We have 8 x ESXi 5.5 hosts and I've installed ESXi5.5 before, but have to manually configure the network settings (standard switch), I'm no expert but can I save all these settings so "if" I have to rebuild a hosts I can apply the settings quickly?

Thanks

8 Replies
Nithy07cs055
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

you can use host profiles to replicate the configurations ..

This should be helpful for you .,. Smiley Happy

https://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-55/topic/com.vmware.ICbase/PDF/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-55-host-p...

Thanks and Regards, Nithyanathan R Please follow my page and Blog for more updates. Blog : https://communities.vmware.com/blogs/Nithyanathan Twitter @Nithy55 Facebook Vmware page : https://www.facebook.com/Virtualizationworld
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maaca
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Host profiles are the easiest way ... in case that you have Enterprise Plus licenses. Otherwise you will have to put together (google-out) some PowerCLI / vRealize Orchestrator / ... scripts.

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gallycool
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

We have 2 options to save and restore or replicate the same configuration of the host.

First one is to work with host profiles.

Take a reference host and generate a host profile and then apply that to the new host after changing the answer file configuration.

Second is to backup the host configuration and then restore it to a different host but the host should not be connected to the network till the complete configuration is done.

  1. Put the host into maintenance mode by running the command:

    vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

  2. Copy the backup configuration file to a location accessible by the host and run the command:

    In this case, the configuration file was copied to the host's /tmp directory.

vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/restore_config /tmp/configBundle.tgz

Gonzouk
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello,

Looks like we have the Enterprise license only, what is strange I can go to tHome > Host Profiles and it looks like I can confiure it, should this even show up if I only have an Enterprise license only?

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maaca
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Try it... you'll receive error after clicking "Finish"

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Gonzouk
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Damn, they tease you then slap you in the face Smiley Happy

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Gonzouk
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Run this and it saved a file:

Example - Get-VMHostFirmware -VMHost ESXi_host_IP_address -BackupConfiguration -DestinationPath output_directory

Get-VMHostFirmware -VMHost 192.168.1.1 -BackupConfiguration -DestinationPath c:\VMhostsBackups

Host            Data

----            ----

192.168.1.1   c:\VMhostsBackups\configBundle-192.168.1.1.tgz

Need to run a test restore, maybe I can try and use VMware worstation for this and a dummy host?

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