How to Switch from Image to Baseline Update Mechanism for ESXi Server in vCenter 8.0.2

[evergreenNY]

Hello ,

I'm currently managing a vCenter server (version 8.0.2, build 22617221) that oversees four ESXi servers.

All ESXi servers are intended to be updated using a baseline mechanism, and their versions are 8.0.1, except for one (let's call it ESXi-3), which is still on version 7.0.3.

Recently, I've encountered an issue where only ESXi-3 is being suggested to update via the image mechanism instead of the baseline mechanism used for the others. I'm looking to maintain consistency across all ESXi server updates through the baseline mechanism for better management and compliance with our update policies.

Could anyone guide me on how to revert ESXi-3 from being updated via the image mechanism to the baseline mechanism? Are there specific settings or steps in vCenter to adjust this? Any insights or guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[irigoyen]

As described VMware docs:

"If you switch to using images, you cannot revert to using baselines for the cluster. You can move the hosts to a cluster that uses baselines, but you cannot change a cluster that already uses a single image for management purposes."

"If you switch to using images for a standalone host, you cannot revert to using baselines for the host except if you re-add the standalone host to the vCenter Server inventory"

Ref: Convert a Cluster or a Host That Uses Baselines Into a Cluster or a Host That Uses vSphere Lifecycle...

[evergreenNY]

@irigoyen  Thank you for your advice on switching between image and baseline updates. However, my setup involves standalone ESXi hosts, not a cluster. Specifically, I'm facing an issue with one host, ESXi-3, which diverged to image-based updates, whereas I aim to maintain baseline updates across all hosts for consistency.

Given that I'm not working with a cluster, could you provide guidance on reverting ESXi-3 to baseline updates within a standalone host setup? Are there vCenter settings or procedures specific to individual hosts for this scenario?

Appreciate any further insights or steps you could recommend. Thanks!

[irigoyen · Accepted solution]

Hi @evergreenNY ,

Can you try to remove the Standalone ESXi cluster from the vCenter and reconnect it?

[evergreenNY]

That was easy 🙂

like you suggest: i removed the Standalone ESXi  from the vCenter and reconnect it without the option for image.

Thanks!