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m_j_b
Contributor
Contributor

esxupdate command questions

I want to update an ESX 4 server using esxupdate. I have downloaded the ESX400-200906001.zip form from www.vmware.com/downloads. I then created a folder on the ESX servers local datastore using the datastore browser and uploaded the file.

I then ran: esxupdate check --bundle /vmfs/volumes/Storage1/UpdateFiles/ESX400-200906001.zip

Applicable bulletins with updates are listed.

-


Bulletin ID---- -Date- -


Summary----


ESX400-200906412-BG 2009-07-09 Updates esxupdate

ESX400-200906401-BG 2009-07-09 Updates VMX

ESX400-200906404-BG 2009-07-09 Updates CIM

ESX400-200906411-SG 2009-07-09 Updates udev

ESX400-200906402-BG 2009-07-09 Updates ESX Scripts

ESX400-200906406-SG 2009-07-09 Updates sudo

ESX400-200906405-SG 2009-07-09 Updates krb5 and pam_krb5

ESX400-200906410-BG 2009-07-09 Updates hostd

ESX400-200906407-SG 2009-07-09 Updates curl

ESX400-200906403-BG 2009-07-09 Updates VMware Tools

ESX400-200906408-BG 2009-07-09 Updates SCSI Driver for QLogic FC

ESX400-200906409-BG 2009-07-09 Updates LSI storelib Library

ESX400-200906413-BG 2009-07-09 Updates vmkernel iSCSI Driver

Esxupdate local cache states:

Location: /tmp/updatecache

Available space: 2583

Is the next step to put the ESX server in maintaince mode and run: esxupdate update --bundle /vmfs/volumes/Storage1/UpdateFiles/ESX400-200906001.zip ?

When I run the update command does it extract the updates to the datastore folder? If so is it safe to delete that folder once the updates are done?

Thanks for the help

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

yes, the host should be in maintenance mode prior to patching

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m_j_b
Contributor
Contributor

The instructions you are quoting are for esx3. I found that document also but couldnt find the esx4 one.

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

same concept, but here is the ESX 4 Patch Management Guide

lamw
Community Manager
Community Manager

If these are the recent 13 patches released for ESX 4, you need to do the following (this is from memory as I just did it the other night)

unzip the bundle, make sure you have sufficient free capacity

unzip ESX400-200906001.zip

Go into the directory, its like esx/4.0.0 and inside there should be a meta.zip or something like that, that is what you'll point esxupdate to patch the box

esxupdate -m meta.zip

Sit back and watch it go and then you can reboot afterwards. You'll then want to use esxupdate query to ensure the 13 patches are installed and it looks something like this:

[root@kalina ~]# esxupdate query
----Bulletin ID---- -----Installed----- -------------Summary------------- 
ESX400-200906412-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates esxupdate                 
ESX400-200906401-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates VMX                       
ESX400-200906404-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates CIM                       
ESX400-200906411-SG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates udev                      
ESX400-200906405-SG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates krb5 and pam_krb5         
ESX400-200906406-SG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates sudo                      
ESX400-200906402-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates ESX Scripts               
ESX400-200906407-SG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates curl                      
ESX400-200906403-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates VMware Tools              
ESX400-200906408-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates SCSI Driver for QLogic FC 
ESX400-200906409-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates LSI storelib Library      
ESX400-200906413-BG 2009-07-20T18:49:10 Updates vmkernel iSCSI Driver     

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

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m_j_b
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the link. esxupdate definitly uses zips.

from the help

--bundle=BundleZipUrl

An offline bundle .zip file to work with. May be

specified multiple times.

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m_j_b
Contributor
Contributor

Alright i just did it the way I asked about

esxupdate check --bundle ESX400-200906001.zip

then

esxupdate update --bundle ESX400-200906001.zip

and it worked fine. The server is now up to date. Nothing had to be manullay unzipped

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