Deploying/Upgrading ESX host when HPE custom image is not available

Products

• VMware SDDC Manager / VCF Installer

Issue/Introduction

This article provides guidance when the vendor-customized HPE ESXi 9.0.2 image is unavailable for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0.2 deployments or upgrades. It outlines supported methods to create a compatible image or use existing vendor images.

Environment

• VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0.2
• HPE ProLiant Servers
• VMware vSphere ESXi 9.0.x

Resolution

The following options are available to get the hosts deployed: 

1. Create a custom image,see steps in the relevant documentation(s) below:  
   
   
   1. Creating a Custom ESX ISO Image Using vSphere Lifecycle Manager
   2. Creating a Custom ESX ISO Image Using VCF PowerCLI
      
      Once the image is created, follow steps from Install ESX on Hosts Using an ISO Image to finish deployment.
      
      
2. Install ESX host with 9.0.1 image which has the vendor image available (See 9.0.1 Bill of Materials) and upgrade to VCF 9.0.2 (See 9.0.2 Bill of Materials ) leaving the ESX host on 9.0.1. Once the custom 9.0.2 HPE image is available, upgrade the hosts to 9.0.2.