How to use Update Manager for patch installation on ESXi servers?

Or, How to install patches on ESXi servers using VMware vSphere update manager?

Or, Using VMware vSphere update manager for patch installation on ESXi servers

Or, Patching ESXi hosts using Update Manager

Descriptions: Patching operating systems and software is one of the common and day to day task for every administrators, no matter if you are on Windows, VMware or any other platform. Here in this article we will explore VMware vSphere update manager for installing updates/patches on VMware ESXi servers.

Using update manager is for this kind of activities is really cool and easy. Just couple of click and that’s it..

Prerequisites:

1. Already synced updates in the patch repository of update manager or manually downloaded update file. In my case I have a manually downloaded patch file.

2. Good understanding of VMware features like vMotion, HA, Maintenance Mode, Baseline, Compliance check, remediation etc..

3. Administrative privileges for performing this activity.

Steps-1: Preparing patch repository or Importing patch file in update manager’s repository

Download the required patch file from VMware site, in my case it’s the below one:

Go to Update Manager console > Click on Patch Repository Tab > Click on Import Patches

Click on Browse > Select the patch file you downloaded > Click on Next

Click in Finish

Verify if the patch imported successfully, you can search for the patch ID in the search box.

Step-2: Preparing baseline image with the newly imported patch

On the Update Manager admin console, Click on Baselines and Groups > Click on Create > Fill in the Name and Descriptions > Select Host Path under Baseline Type > Click Next

Check on Fixed > Click Next

Search for the patch ID in the search box > Select the Patch > Click on Down Arrow > Click Next

Here you can select one or multiple patches to club in the baseline you are creating.

Click on Finish

The baseline has been created. Now you are ready to go with patch deployment on all ESXi hosts one by one or all at once in sequence…your choice..

Step-3: Applying the patches remediation of each ESXi individually using baseline

Choose any one host > Put it in Maintenance Mode > Go to Update Manager tab > Click on Attach

Select the host patch Baseline and click on Attach

Click on Scan to check if the host is compliant with the Baseline or not..

Click on Remediate, as the host is not yet compliant/patched

Click on Next

Click Next

Fill the required details > Select Immediately > Click on Next

Choose the options as per your requirements and Click Next (in my case, I left these options to Default)

Click Next

Click on Finish to start the remediation

Once the remediation is completed, you will see the compliant status as green… In addition, you may notice that the build version of ESXi host also changed.

You are done with remediation of the ESXi host with the patch baseline you created. To remediate other additional hosts, you need to follow the same process. No, No, No, not all the steps... You need to follow step-3 only for rest of the hosts.

Cheers, please write me back if you have any query of feedback on this.