Or, How to install patches on ESXi servers using
VMware vSphere update manager?
Or, Using VMware vSphere update manager for patch
installation on ESXi servers
Or, Patching ESXi hosts using Update Manager
Descriptions: Patching operating systems and software is one of the common and day to
day task for every administrators, no matter if you are on Windows, VMware or
any other platform. Here in this
article we will explore VMware vSphere update manager for installing
updates/patches on VMware ESXi servers.
Using update manager is for
this kind of activities is really cool and easy. Just couple of click and
that’s it..
Prerequisites:
1. Already synced updates in
the patch repository of update manager or manually downloaded update file. In
my case I have a manually downloaded patch file.
2. Good understanding of VMware
features like vMotion, HA, Maintenance Mode, Baseline, Compliance check,
remediation etc..
3. Administrative privileges
for performing this activity.
Steps-1: Preparing patch repository or Importing patch
file in update manager’s repository
Download the required patch
file from VMware site, in my case it’s the below one:
Go to Update Manager console > Click on Patch Repository Tab > Click on Import Patches
Click on Browse > Select the patch file you downloaded > Click on Next
Click in Finish
Verify if the patch imported successfully, you can search
for the patch ID in the search box.
Step-2: Preparing
baseline image with the newly imported patch
On the Update Manager admin console, Click on Baselines and Groups > Click on Create > Fill in the Name and Descriptions > Select Host Path under Baseline Type > Click Next
Check on Fixed >
Click Next
Search for the patch
ID in the search box > Select the Patch > Click on Down Arrow > Click Next
Here you can select one or multiple patches to club in the baseline
you are creating.
Click on Finish
The baseline has been created. Now you are ready to go with
patch deployment on all ESXi hosts one by one or all at once in sequence…your
choice..
Step-3: Applying the
patches remediation of each ESXi individually using baseline
Choose any one host
> Put it in Maintenance Mode >
Go to Update Manager tab > Click
on Attach
Select the host patch Baseline
and click on Attach
Click on Scan to check if the host is compliant with the
Baseline or not..
Click
on Remediate, as the host is not yet
compliant/patched
Click on Next
Click Next
Fill
the required details > Select Immediately
> Click on Next
Choose the options as per your requirements and Click Next (in my case, I left these options
to Default)
Click Next
Click on Finish to
start the remediation
Once the remediation is completed, you will see the
compliant status as green… In addition, you may notice that the build version
of ESXi host also changed.
You are done with remediation of the ESXi host with the patch
baseline you created. To remediate other additional hosts, you need to follow
the same process. No, No, No, not all the steps... You need to follow step-3 only for rest of the hosts.
Cheers, please write me back if you have any query of
feedback on this.
