Esxcli - Installing VIB on an ESXi 5.0 host

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VSphere Installation Bundles (VIBs) can be installed with the esxcli command. The VIBs have to either be copied to the ESXi host via scp, or provided on a web or FTP server. When installing some VIBs an adaptation of the host Acceptance Levels is required.

Installation Options

user@ubuntu-11-10:~$ esxcli -s 10.1.102.154 -u root software vib install --help
Enter password: 
Usage: esxcli software vib install [cmd options]

Description: 
  install               Installs VIB packages from a URL or depot. VIBs may be installed, upgraded, or downgraded.
                        WARNING: If your installation requires a reboot, you need to disable HA first.

Cmd options:
  -d|--depot=[ <str> ... ]
                        Specifies full remote URLs of the depot index.xml or server file path pointing to an offline
                        bundle .zip file.
  --dry-run             Performs a dry-run only. Report the VIB-level operations that would be performed, but do not
                        change anything in the system.
  -f|--force            Bypasses checks for package dependencies, conflicts, obsolescence, and acceptance levels.
                        Really not recommended unless you know what you are doing. Use of this option will result in
                        a warning being displayed in the vSphere Client.
  --maintenance-mode    Pretends that maintenance mode is in effect. Otherwise, installation will stop for live
                        installs that require maintenance mode. This flag has no effect for reboot required
                        remediations.
  --no-live-install     Forces an install to /altbootbank even if the VIBs are eligible for live installation or
                        removal. Will cause installation to be skipped on PXE-booted hosts.
  --no-sig-check        Bypasses acceptance level verification, including signing. Use of this option poses a large
                        security risk and will result in a SECURITY ALERT warning being displayed in the vSphere
                        Client.
  --proxy=<str>         Specifies a proxy server to use for HTTP, FTP, and HTTPS connections. The format is proxy-
                        url:port.
  -n|--vibname=[ <str> ... ]
                        Specifies VIBs from a depot, using one of the following forms: name, name:version,
                        vendor:name, or vendor:name:version.
  -v|--viburl=[ <str> ... ]
                        Specifies one or more URLs to VIB packages to install. http:, https:, ftp:, and file: are
                        all supported.

Notification of Incompatible Acceptance Level

user@ubuntu-11-10:~$ esxcli -s 10.1.102.154 -u root software vib install -v http://IP/vmware-esx-provider-arcconf.vib
Enter password: 
 [DependencyError]
 VIB Adaptec_bootbank_arcconf_1.00-1's acceptance level is unsigned, which is not compliant with the ImageProfile acceptance level partner
 To change the host acceptance level, use the 'esxcli software acceptance set' command.
 Please refer to the log file for more details.

Customizing the Acceptance Level

user@ubuntu-11-10:~$ esxcli -s 10.1.102.154 -u root software acceptance get
Enter password: 
PartnerSupported
user@ubuntu-11-10:~$ esxcli -s 10.1.102.154 -u root software acceptance set --level=CommunitySupported
Enter password: 
Host acceptance level changed to 'CommunitySupported'.

Installation of VIBs

VIBs are offered mainly by hardware manufacturers and are available on their websites for downloading. Adaptec and LSI offer, for example, the CIM provider for monitoring and configuring the RAID controllers (see Adaptec RAID Controller Monitoring in VMware and Monitoring LSI RAID Controllers in VMware).

user@ubuntu-11-10:~$ esxcli -s 10.1.102.154 -u root software vib install -v http://IP/vmware-esx-provider-arcconf.vib
Enter password: 
Installation Result
   Message: Operation finished successfully.
   Reboot Required: false
   VIBs Installed: Adaptec_bootbank_arcconf_1.00-1
   VIBs Removed: 
   VIBs Skipped: 

Display Installed VIBs

user@ubuntu-11-10:~$ esxcli -s 10.1.102.154 -u root software vib list
Enter password: 
Name                  Version                              Vendor       Acceptance Level  Install Date
--------------------  -----------------------------------  -----------  ----------------  ------------
scsi-aacraid          5.0.5.1.7.28700-1OEM.500.0.0.406165  Adaptec_Inc  VMwareCertified   2012-03-21  
arcconf               1.00-1                               Adaptec      unknown           2012-03-21  
LSIProvider           500.04.V0.24-261033                  LSI          VMwareAccepted    2012-03-21  
ata-pata-amd          0.3.10-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware       VMwareCertified   2012-03-21  
ata-pata-atiixp       0.4.6-3vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware       VMwareCertified   2012-03-21  
[...]


Foto Werner Fischer.jpg

Author: Werner Fischer

Werner Fischer, working in the Knowledge Transfer team at Thomas-Krenn, completed his studies of Computer and Media Security at FH Hagenberg in Austria. He is a regular speaker at many conferences like LinuxTag, OSMC, OSDC, LinuxCon, and author for various IT magazines. In his spare time he enjoys playing the piano and training for a good result at the annual Linz marathon relay.


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