VMware ESXi 4.1 critical and security update via command line utility

VMware ESXi provides outstanding environment for virtualization and it's free. Free may means extra work required to maintain this environment with update issues.

To search for any patch available, please visit:
http://www.vmware.com/patchmgr/findPatch.portal

Correctly quote the product and the version for your existing environment and you will find useful patches for use.

Download the required patches and make sure VMware vSphere CLI package has been installed properly so you can open up Terminal/Command Prompt to run its perl script tasks. Assuming you are working on Windows desktop, you may find the following paths after CLI installation:

Embedded Perl:
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\bin\perl.exe

vSphere CLI included its own Perl package for operation. It is important to quote absolute path of correct perl program so those required Perl modules are involved during the tasks.

Perl scripting tasks location:
C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\bin\*.pl

Before the scripting task is carried on the ESXi host, it is necessary to shut down all guest VMs and then put ESXi host in maintenance mode. These can be done via VMware vSphere Client. Install this if you don't have one. The latest free edition is VMware vSphere v4.

The following Perl script commands will be required to run specific tasks:

#

#Put ESXi host in maintenance mode



#Check ESXi host information

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\bin\perl.exe" vihostupdate.pl --server IP_ADDRESS_ESXi_HOST -operation info



#Make a query on any patch installed on ESXi host

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\bin\perl.exe" vihostupdate.pl --server IP_ADDRESS_ESXi_HOST --query



#List all updates available in the downloaded patch package

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\bin\perl.exe" vihostupdate.pl --server IP_ADDRESS_ESXi_HOST --list --bundle "C:\temp\update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update02.zip"



#Compare and see which patch bulletin applicable to ESXi host

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\bin\perl.exe" vihostupdate.pl --server IP_ADDRESS_ESXi_HOST --scan --bundle "C:\temp\update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update02.zip"



#Perform actual installation of patch with bulletin specified

>"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware vSphere CLI\Perl\bin\perl.exe" vihostupdate.pl --server IP_ADDRESS_ESXi_HOST --install --bundle "C:\temp\update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update02.zip" --bulletin ESXi410-Update02



#Once completed, reboot ESXi host and put it back to operation mode, start guest VMs for testing