vmware ESXi 6.5 update - SSH login and command line

1. SSH and login to ESXi 6.5

2. Go to VMware's website to download the patch (https://customerconnect.vmware.com/en/downloads)

3. login to the ESXi host, Upload the patch to ESXi datastore. Find the folder vmfs > volumes > Local-50 > upload the package to this folder or directly drag it into the folder

4. Type the credentials to log into ESXi host > type vmware -v to verify the version of ESXi

check the build number and version: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2143832

5. Put the server into maintenance mode: esxcli system maintenanceMode set -e true

6. Check maintenance mode: esxcli system maintenanceMode get

7. Check update patch: use cd command to open the folder where the update patch is stored

/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/esxi_update_65

8. Update ESXi: esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/609aab55-a474cdb0-86f2-44a842095584/esxi_update_65/update-from-esxi6.5-6.5_update1.zip --dry-run

Tips: you can add --dry--run in the end to command to check which content will be modified. After that, delete --dry--run to update ESXi.

9. Update ESXi: esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/609aab55-a474cdb0-86f2-44a842095584/esxi_update_65/update-from-esxi6.5-6.5_update1.zip

Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective

10. Reboot ESXi host: esxcli system shutdown reboot -r "Upgrade to ESXi 6.5 Update3"

11. Exit maintenance mode: esxcli system maintenanceMode set -e false 

12. check maintenance mode again: esxcli system maintenanceMode get

13. Check the version of ESXi now: vmware -v