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➤ESXi

ESXi administration: DCUI, web interface, SSH and practical troubleshooting!

VMware
Published on
Karl Certa
#vmware #esxi #hypervisor

VMware ESXi is VMware’s hypervisor that allows running multiple virtual machines on a single physical server.

Access and interfaces

ActionCommand/Interface
ESXi web interfacehttps://esxi-server/ui/
Local console (DCUI)F2 on host screen
SSH to ESXissh root@esxi-server
Alternative consoleAlt + F1 (console mode)
Enable/disable SSHDCUI > Troubleshooting Options > Enable SSH

DCUI Configuration (Local Console)

ActionDCUI Navigation
Network configurationConfigure Management Network > Network Adapters
Change passwordConfigure Password
Date/time configurationConfigure Management Network > DNS Configuration
Shutdown/RestartShutdown/Restart
Maintenance modeEnter Maintenance Mode
Reset configurationReset System Configuration

SSH and command line

ActionSSH Command
List VMsvim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
Start a VMvim-cmd vmsvc/power.on [vmid]
Stop a VMvim-cmd vmsvc/power.off [vmid]
Restart ESXireboot
Shutdown ESXishutdown
System infoesxcli system version get
Datastore spacedf -h

VM Management in CLI

ActionCommand
VM statevim-cmd vmsvc/power.getstate [vmid]
Create snapshotvim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.create [vmid] "snapshot_name"
Delete snapshotvim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.remove [vmid]
List VM filesls -la /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/
Reload VMvim-cmd vmsvc/reload [vmid]
VM configurationvim-cmd vmsvc/get.config [vmid]

Network configuration

ActionCommand/Interface
List vSwitchesesxcli network vswitch standard list
Create port groupWeb interface > Networking > Port groups > Add
IP configurationesxcli network ip interface ipv4 get
Modify IPDCUI > Configure Management Network
Physical network infoesxcli network nic list

Storage management

ActionCommand
List datastoresesxcli storage vmfs extent list
Disk spacevdf -h
Physical disksesxcli storage core device list
VMFS infovmkfstools -P /vmfs/volumes/datastore1
Clean logsrm /scratch/log/*/*

Monitoring and logs

ActionCommand/Path
Main logs/var/log/vmkernel.log
VM logs/var/log/vmware.log
Authentication logs/var/log/auth.log
CPU/RAM usageesxtop (interactive mode)
Hardware informationesxcli hardware platform get

Common situations

Lost root password

Unfortunately, ESXi does NOT allow recovering a lost root password

Possible solution: Reinstallation (ERASES EVERYTHING)

  1. Restart the server
  2. At ESXi boot, press Shift + O on “Boot from Hard disk”
  3. Add: runweasel ks=file://etc/vmware/weasel/ks.cfg
  4. Reinstall ESXi (config will be lost)
  5. Reconfigure everything: network, datastores, VMs…

Emergency maintenance mode

# Enter maintenance mode (migrates VMs)
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter
 
# Exit maintenance mode
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit
 
# Check mode
vim-cmd hostsvc/hostsummary | grep inMaintenanceMode

Clean ESXi disk space

# Check space
vdf -h
 
# Clean logs (if /scratch is full)
rm /scratch/log/vmware*.log
rm /scratch/log/hostd*.log
 
# Clean core dumps
rm /var/core/*

Force stop a frozen VM

# Find the VM ID
vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
 
# Force kill the VM
vim-cmd vmsvc/power.off [vmid]
 
# If that doesn't work, find the process
ps | grep [vmid]
kill -9 [process_id]

Reconfigure management network

  1. F2 on the console
  2. Configure Management Network
  3. Network Adapters > Select the correct adapter
  4. IP Configuration > Static or DHCP
  5. Restart Management Network to apply

Network diagnostics

# Ping test
vmkping -I vmk0 8.8.8.8
 
# Check network adapters
esxcli network nic list
 
# Port status
esxcli network vswitch standard list

Versions and releases

ActionCommand/Link
Installed ESXi versionesxcli system version get
ESXi build historyESXi Release History - virten.net
Latest ESXi versionWeb interface > Host > Hardware > Overview