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XC platform upgrade ESXi without DRS using iDRAC

  • 26 October 2016
  • 1 reply
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Hi all,

I created a document describing how to upgrade ESXi on the XC platform for a customer. It uses the Dell iDRAC specifically. If anyone has feedback on anything that was missed or could make things easier I'd appreciate it.

    [list=1]
  • Move VMs and place host into maintenance mode[list=1]
  • From vCenter Web Client navigate to Hosts and Clusters
  • Select the host to be upgraded
  • Click Related Objects and Virtual Machines
  • Select all running VMs except CVM and migrate to another host
  • Once all VMs have been migrated right click the host, select Maintenance Mode and Enter Maintenance Mode
  • SSH to the Nutanix CVM on the host
  • Run the following at the prompt: cvm_shutdown -P now
Login to iDRAC of the ESXi server
  1. Default user: root
  2. Default pass: calvin
Click Launch in the Virtual Console Preview section
  • Click Run twice and accept any errors on the Java applet
  • Click on Virtual Media then Connect Virtual Media
  • Click Virtual Media again and Map CD/DVD …
  • Select virtual media
    1. Click Browse on the Virtual Media box
    2. Navigate to the ISO and select it then click Open
    Change Next Boot
    1. Click Next Boot and select Virtual CD/DVD/ISO
    2. Click OK on the popup to accept
    From the vSphere Web Client right click the host, select Power and Reboot
  • Select the iDRAC console to complete the installation
  • The system will boot to the ESXi ISO
  • Press the Enter key
  • Press F11
  • The device with a VMFS partition should be selected. If not select it and press Enter to continue
  • "Upgrade ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore" should be selected. Press Enter to continue
  • Press F11 to upgrade
  • After the upgrade process is complete press Enter to reboot the host
  • Wait for the host to fully boot and become available in vCenter
  • Right click the host and go to Maintenance Mode > Exit Maintenance Mode
  • Right click the Nutanix CVM on the host and Power On
  • Wait for the resiliency section in Prism to be OK and green before proceeding to the next host
  • Repeat the process until all hosts in the cluster are upgraded[/list][/list]Thanks.
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    Best answer by Jon 27 October 2016, 19:04

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    1 reply

    Userlevel 6
    Badge +29
    That sounds like a super dangerous way to do this.

    why not just follow the manual upgrade process that we already have documented?

    It would be easier, and less clicks.

    It involves loading the patch media and just doing the install, and then shutting down CVM and rebooting host. Nothing to do with iDRAC.