Converting custom ESXi ISO and ZIP Files to JSON for vSphere Lifecycle Manager in vCenter 8

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

When using vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) to manage ESXi host updates, users may need to convert a custom ESXi ISO with additional driver ZIP files into the JSON format. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to perform the conversion and use the resulting JSON file with vLCM.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.0 or newer
vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM)
ESXi ISO
ZIP file containing additional drivers

Cause

vSphere Lifecycle Manager in vCenter 8 requires ESXi images to be in a JSON format for importing and managing ESXi host updates. Custom ISOs and driver ZIP files cannot be used directly and must be converted into a JSON file.

Resolution

To convert a custom ESXi ISO and additional driver ZIP files into a JSON file for use with vLCM, follow these steps:

1. Create a vSphere Lifecycle Manager image
   1. Navigate to the Lifecycle Manager tab in the vSphere Client.
   2. Click on the "Images" tab and then click on the "Create" button.
   3. Select "Create a new image," provide a name, and optionally add a description.
   4. Choose "ESXi Image" as the image type.
2. Import the ESXi ISO
   1. In the "Image Depot" section, click on the "Import" button.
   2. Select "Import Update (ISO)" and browse to the location of your ESXi ISO file. Note that this can be a vendor custom ISO if needed
   3. Click "Next" and then "Finish" to import the ISO.
3. Create a new image profile
   1. In the "Image Components" section, click on the "Add" button.
   2. Select "Add Image Profile," provide a name, and optionally add a description.
   3. Choose the imported ISO as the base image.
4. Add the additional drivers
   1. In the "Image Components" section, click on the "Add" button.
   2. Select "Add Vendor Add-On" and browse to the location of your ZIP file containing the additional drivers.
   3. Click "Next" and then "Finish" to add the vendor add-on.
5. Export the image profile as a JSON file
   1. In the "Image Components" section, click on the "Export" button.
   2. Select "Export Image Profile" and save the JSON file to a location of your choice.
6. Once the user has the JSON file, update the ESXi hosts via the "CLUSTER | UPDATE | IMAGE" option in vCenter 8.

Additional Information

• The JSON file contains only image metadata and not the actual software payloads. All components specified in the image must be available in the vSphere Lifecycle Manager depot for successful import and remediation.
• If distributing the image across vCenter Server instances, import both the JSON file and the ZIP file containing the additional drivers to the target vSphere Lifecycle Manager depot.
• vLCM does not support using a custom ISO directly. Users must create an image profile from the ISO and then use that image profile to update the hosts.
• Using JSON files with vLCM offers benefits such as reusability across clusters and vCenter Server instances, automation through tools like PowerCLI or APIs, and consistency in managing ESXi images and host upgrades.
• See Export or Import a vSphere Lifecycle Manager Image for more information.