Replacing the Software Image Profile with an OEM specific one within the same vSphere Version
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Replacing the Software Image Profile with an OEM specific one within the same vSphere Version

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Article ID: 321366

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Updated On:

Products

VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

  • To ensure that all OEM specific hardware drivers, plugins and other 3rd party modules are available and are not conflicting with each other, OEM specific Installation ISOs should be used whenever possible.
  • However, it can happen that a host has been installed with the standard VMware ESXi Installation ISO instead.
  • This can be rectified without a re-installation (which would add additional work required from saving and restoring the configuration).
  • This article showcases the required steps and commands.


Symptoms:
An ESXi host has been installed with the standard VMware Image Profile, while vendor recommendations are to use the platform specific OEM Custom ISO for installation.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.0
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0

Resolution

The below example steps will be using the HPE ESXi 6.5 U2 installation iso. The variable parts in the commands will be marked Bold and Italic.
  1. Obtain the ESXi Installation Offline Bundle for the specific OEM and upload it to a datastore accessible by the hosts that need re-imaging. 

    Note: Due to the size, /tmp/ usually will not work.
     
  2. From the ESXi Shell, query the depot zip file for the available profiles:

    For example:

    esxcli software sources profile list  -d /vmfs/volumes/cs-tse-h74_1/update-from-esxi6.5-6.5_update02.zip

    Name                              Vendor        Acceptance Level
    --------------------------------  ------------  ----------------
    ESXi-6.5.0-20180501001s-no-tools  VMware, Inc.  PartnerSupported
    ESXi-6.5.0-20180502001-no-tools   VMware, Inc.  PartnerSupported
    ESXi-6.5.0-20180502001-standard   VMware, Inc.  PartnerSupported
    ESXi-6.5.0-20180501001s-standard  VMware, Inc.  PartnerSupported
     
  3. If multiple profiles are available, pick one of them according to your requirements. Usually the OEM Image Profiles contain only a single configuration profile.
     
  4. Perform the installation of the image profile:

    For example:

    esxcli software profile install -d /vmfs/volumes/cs-tse-h74_1/update-from-esxi6.5-6.5_update02.zip -p ESXi-6.5.0-20180502001-standard --ok-to-remove
    Installation Result
       Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
       Reboot Required: true
       VIBs Installed:
       VIBs Removed: ELX_bootbank_elx-esx-libelxima.so_11.2.1238.0-03, EMU_bootbank_elxiscsi_11.2.1238.0-1OEM.650.0.0.4598673, HPE_bootbank_amsd_650.11.1.0-24.4240417, HPE_bootbank_bootcfg_6.0.0.02-03.00.5.2494585, HPE_bootbank_conrep_6.0.0.02-00.00.12.2494585, HPE_bootbank_cru_650.6.5.9.8-1.4240417, HPE_bootbank_fc-enablement_650.3.1.0.16-4240417, HPE_bootbank_hpe-nmi_600.2.4.16-2494575, HPE_bootbank_hponcfg_6.0.0.5.0-1.5.2494585, HPE_bootbank_ilo_650.10.1.0-12.4240417, HPE_bootbank_oem-build_650.U1.10.1.0.14-4240417, HPE_bootbank_scsi-hpdsa_5.5.0.54-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820, HPE_bootbank_scsi-hpvsa_5.5.0.102-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820, HPE_bootbank_smx-provider_650.03.12.10.1-4240417, HPE_bootbank_ssacli_3.10.3.0-6.5.0.4240417, HPE_bootbank_testevent_6.5.0.02-00.00.16.4240417, Intel_bootbank_intelcim-provider_0.5-3.3, MEL_bootbank_nmst_4.6.0.101-1OEM.650.0.0.4598673
       VIBs Skipped: VMW_bootbank_ata-libata-92_3.00.9.2-16vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-amd_0.3.10-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-atiixp_0.4.6-4vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-cmd64x_0.2.5-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-hpt3x2n_0.3.4-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-pdc2027x_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-serverworks_0.4.3-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-sil680_0.4.8-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ata-pata-via_0.3.3-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_block-cciss_3.6.14-10vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_bnxtnet_20.6.101.7-11vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_brcmfcoe_11.4.1078.0-8vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_char-random_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ehci-ehci-hcd_1.0-4vmw.650.0.14.5146846, VMW_bootbank_elxnet_11.1.91.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_hid-hid_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_i40en_1.3.1-19vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_igbn_0.1.0.0-15vmw.650.1.36.7388607, VMW_bootbank_ima-qla4xxx_2.02.18-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ipmi-ipmi-devintf_39.1-5vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_ipmi-ipmi-msghandler_39.1-5vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_ipmi-ipmi-si-drv_39.1-4vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ixgben_1.4.1-12vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_lpfc_11.4.33.1-6vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_lsi-mr3_7.702.13.00-3vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_lsi-msgpt2_20.00.01.00-4vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_lsi-msgpt35_03.00.01.00-9vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_lsi-msgpt3_16.00.01.00-1vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_misc-cnic-register_1.78.75.v60.7-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_misc-drivers_6.5.0-2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_mtip32xx-native_3.9.5-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ne1000_0.8.3-7vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_nenic_1.0.0.2-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-bnx2_2.2.4f.v60.10-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-bnx2x_1.78.80.v60.12-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-cdc-ether_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-cnic_1.78.76.v60.13-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-e1000_8.0.3.1-5vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-e1000e_3.2.2.1-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-enic_2.1.2.38-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-fcoe_1.0.29.9.3-7vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-forcedeth_0.61-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-igb_5.0.5.1.1-5vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-ixgbe_3.7.13.7.14iov-20vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-libfcoe-92_1.0.24.9.4-8vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-mlx4-core_1.9.7.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-mlx4-en_1.9.7.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-nx-nic_5.0.621-5vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-tg3_3.131d.v60.4-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-usbnet_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_net-vmxnet3_1.1.3.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_nhpsa_2.0.22-3vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_nmlx4-core_3.16.0.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_nmlx4-en_3.16.0.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_nmlx4-rdma_3.16.0.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_nmlx5-core_4.16.0.0-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_ntg3_4.1.3.0-1vmw.650.1.36.7388607, VMW_bootbank_nvme_1.2.1.34-1vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_nvmxnet3_2.0.0.23-1vmw.650.1.36.7388607, VMW_bootbank_ohci-usb-ohci_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_pvscsi_0.1-1vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMW_bootbank_qedentv_2.0.6.4-8vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_qfle3_1.0.2.7-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_qflge_1.1.0.3-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_qlnativefc_2.1.50.0-1vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMW_bootbank_sata-ahci_3.0-26vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMW_bootbank_sata-ata-piix_2.12-10vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_sata-sata-nv_3.5-4vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_sata-sata-promise_2.12-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_sata-sata-sil24_1.1-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_sata-sata-sil_2.3-4vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_sata-sata-svw_2.3-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-aacraid_1.1.5.1-9vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-adp94xx_1.0.8.12-6vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-aic79xx_3.1-5vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-bnx2fc_1.78.78.v60.8-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-bnx2i_2.78.76.v60.8-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-fnic_1.5.0.45-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-hpsa_6.0.0.84-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-ips_7.12.05-4vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-iscsi-linux-92_1.0.0.2-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-libfc-92_1.0.40.9.3-5vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-megaraid-mbox_2.20.5.1-6vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-megaraid-sas_6.603.55.00-2vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-megaraid2_2.00.4-9vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-mpt2sas_19.00.00.00-1vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-mptsas_4.23.01.00-10vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-mptspi_4.23.01.00-10vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_scsi-qla4xxx_5.01.03.2-7vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-iscsi-linux-9-2-1-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-iscsi-linux-9-2-2-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-libata-9-2-1-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-libata-9-2-2-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-libfc-9-2-1-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-libfc-9-2-2-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-libfcoe-9-2-1-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-libfcoe-9-2-2-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-vmklinux-9-2-1-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-vmklinux-9-2-2-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_shim-vmklinux-9-2-3-0_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_smartpqi_1.0.1.553-10vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_uhci-usb-uhci_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_usb-storage-usb-storage_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_usbcore-usb_1.0-3vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_vmkata_0.1-1vmw.650.1.36.7388607, VMW_bootbank_vmkplexer-vmkplexer_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMW_bootbank_vmkusb_0.1-1vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_vmw-ahci_1.1.1-1vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMW_bootbank_xhci-xhci_1.0-3vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMware_bootbank_cpu-microcode_6.5.0-1.41.7967591, VMware_bootbank_emulex-esx-elxnetcli_11.1.28.0-0.0.4564106, VMware_bootbank_esx-base_6.5.0-2.50.8294253, VMware_bootbank_esx-dvfilter-generic-fastpath_6.5.0-1.36.7388607, VMware_bootbank_esx-tboot_6.5.0-2.50.8294253, VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_1.27.1-7909286, VMware_bootbank_esx-xserver_6.5.0-2.50.8294253, VMware_bootbank_lsu-hp-hpsa-plugin_2.0.0-6vmw.650.2.50.8294253, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-lsi-mr3-plugin_1.0.0-10vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-lsi-msgpt3-plugin_1.0.0-7vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-megaraid-sas-plugin_1.0.0-8vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-mpt2sas-plugin_2.0.0-6vmw.650.1.26.5969303, VMware_bootbank_native-misc-drivers_6.5.0-0.0.4564106, VMware_bootbank_rste_2.0.2.0088-4vmw.650.0.0.4564106, VMware_bootbank_vmware-esx-esxcli-nvme-plugin_1.2.0.32-2.50.8294253, VMware_bootbank_vsan_6.5.0-2.50.8064065, VMware_bootbank_vsanhealth_6.5.0-2.50.8143339, VMware_locker_tools-light_6.5.0-1.47.8285314  
Notes:
  • The offline bundle zip file from the above example can be replaced with any OEM ISO as long as it comes in the correct format.
  • Applying the software profile within the same ESXi version (e.g. 6.5 U2 -> 6.5U2) should not cause any trouble.
  • Moving from a lower update to a higher Update (6.5 U1 -> 6.5U2) also should not cause problems. However, notice the VIB list - esxi-base and other kernel modules are not included. This is not considered host-patching/upgrading.


Additional Information

Impact/Risks:
  • Performing these steps requires an ESXi reboot for every host where the profile will be modified.
  • Since the list of installed VIBs and their interdependencies will be modified, there is a risk of running on older / non VMware Compatibility Guide listed drivers after the reboot. This needs to be manually verified and if need be, rectified against the HCL again.


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