Converting the baseline ESXi updates to images for a new vCenter cluster and its new ESXi hosts

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

The following are quick steps for the following scenario:

• You have a brand new vCenter cluster
  
  
• You have 1 or more ESXi hosts added to this new cluster
  
  
• You are interested in Converting baseline ESXi updates to images 
  
  or
• You simply wish to manage these hosts with images

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.3 or higher

VMware vCenter Server 8.0.3 or higher 

 

Cause

This is a new vCenter cluster and new ESXi hosts and you wish to manage these hosts with images.

Resolution

The following are also mentioned in the documentation (refer to Additional Information).  However, here is a quick workflow.

 

Login to vSphere UI with administrator credentials

 

Clicked the new vCenter cluster ->

1. Click Updates tab
   
   
2. Click Validate
   
   
3. Click Save
   
   
4. Click Finish Image Setup
   
   
5. Selected the first ESXi host
   
   
6. Click Actions
   
   
7. Click Remediate
   
   
8. Click Done.
   
   
9. Select subsequent ESXi hosts and repeat the steps

Additional Information

Refer to the following references:

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/managing-host-and-cluster-lifecycle-8-0/using-images-to-install-and-update-esxi-hosts-and-clusters/working-with-images.html 

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/managing-host-and-cluster-lifecycle-8-0/cluster-operations-and-vsphere-lifecycle-manager.html 

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/managing-host-and-cluster-lifecycle-8-0/using-images-to-install-and-update-esxi-hosts-and-clusters/switching-from-baselines-to-images.html