Applying ESX-4.0.0-update01a directly to an ESX host

Upload the ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip file to a datastore using the vSphere Client.

Logon to the ESX host via SSH and sudo to root.

Verify hard drive capacity by entering

vdf –h

Example output:

Filesystem            Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdc5             4.9G  1.6G  3.0G  35% /
/dev/sda1             1.1G   75M  952M   8% /boot
/dev/sdc1             2.0G   69M  1.8G   4% /var/log
/vmfs/devices          67G     0   67G   0% /vmfs/devices
/vmfs/volumes/4e81683d-9a462e18-9811-0011258d5d14
                      546G   90G  456G  16% /vmfs/volumes/Storage1
/vmfs/volumes/4e82a282-b06c1d10-f221-0011258d5d15
                       49G   10G   39G  20% /vmfs/volumes/ISO

Change to /var/updates directory. If it does not exist create it via

mkdir /var/updates

Navigate to the location you uploaded ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip to and move it to /var/updates

mv ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip /var/updates

Change back to the /var/updates directory confirm the patch and its contents via

esxupdate --bundle file:///var/updates/ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip scan

Expected output;

ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip         ######################################## [100%]
Applicable bulletins with updates are listed.
----Bulletin ID---- ---Date--- ----------------Summary-----------------
ESX400-200912101-UG 2009-12-09 Updates the ESX 4.0 Service Console glib
ESX400-Update01a    2009-12-09 VMware ESX 4.0 Complete Update 1
Esxupdate local cache states:
 Location: /tmp/updatecache
 Available space: XXXX [MB]

Verify that the patch isn’t already installed via

esxupdate query

Expected output;

--Bulletin ID-- -----Installed----- ------------Summary-------------
ESX400-Update01 2011-09-27T15:49:05 VMware ESX 4.0 Complete Update 1

Note that ESX400-Update01a is not present in the installed list. If it is present the patch has already been installed.

Shutdown or Migrate all the guests behind hosted by the server.

Place the host into Maintenance Mode via

vimsh -n -e /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

Perform a simulated update via

esxupdate --bundle file:///var/updates/ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip stage

Expected output;

ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip         ######################################## [100%]
Skipping bulletin ESX400-200911218-UG, it is installed or obsolete
…
Unpacking glibc-2.5-34.2270.v.. ######################################## [100%]
Unpacking glibc-common-2.5-34.. ######################################## [100%]
Unpacking glibc-2.5-34.2270.v.. ######################################## [100%]

Note there may several “skipping” entries.

If there are reported errors return the server from maintenance mode via

vimsh -n -e /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

and start / migrate the guests back online.

If there are no reported errors, run the update via

esxupdate --bundle file:///var/updates/ESX-4.0.0-update01a.zip update

Expected output similar to above, with

Installing glibc-common         ######################################## [100%]

per installed patch, ending with;

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

When prompted, reboot the server via

shutdown –r 0

Once the server has restarted logon to the ESX host via SSH and sudo to root.

Confirm the patch has been applied via

esxupdate query

Expected output;

--Bulletin ID-- -----Installed----- ------------Summary-------------
ESX400-Update01a 2012-01-18T09:16:43 VMware ESX 4.0 Complete Update 1

Note ESX400-Update01a now appears in the list.

Return the server from Maintenance Mode via

vimsh -n -e /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

Delete the patch download via

rm /var/updates/*.zip

Start / migrate the guests back online.

Perform an automatic upgrade of VMTools on the guests (this may cause a guest reboot).

Leave a Reply