How to find out which image was used to install an ESXi Host?

[Hans Meiser]

Hello,

in the absence of documentation by my predecessor i have to find out which image was used to install some ESXi hosts. We talk about cisco blade servers.
In VCenter > ESXi Host -> Summary -> Image Profile I can just see "(Updated) VMware Lifecycle Manager Generated Image". So i think this is not a hint if default ESXi Image or Custom Cisco Image was used to install this host.
is there a place on ESXi Host where i can find more detailed infos about installation media?

Thanks,
Hans

[Nick Merlevede]

Hi,

You can run this command on the host to get more information

esxcli software profile get

 

[Hans Meiser]

Hello,

thank you. I see: 

(Updated) VMware Lifecycle Manager Generated Image
Name: (Updated) VMware Lifecycle Manager Generated Image
Vendor: VMware, Inc.

So iexpect this is an original image and  no cisco custom was used.

Thanks,
Hans

[Kinnison]

Hello,

In my opinion, consulting the list of installed "VIB" components takes less time, some of these are specific to the custom images released by vendors and it is not that difficult to recognize them. That "name" that you see reported is indicative of the fact that the updates have been applied via vLCM based on images, by consulting it and assuming that your hosts are compliant you can see what has been applied/installed and running.

Otherwise as an end in itself that "name" doesn't mean much, I'll tell you what one of my hosts says:
Name: (Updated) ESXi-8.0.0-20513097-standard

The fact is that the version I am currently running is not that at all. 

Regards,
Ferdinando

[Hans Meiser]

Hello,

how do i found out which vibs are specific for a vendor? Meanwhile i found out that actually a VMWare Standard iso was used, but still there are some cisco vibs installed.

esxcli software profile get | grep -i cisco
        Cisco-nenic   1.0.35.0-1OEM.670.0.0.8169922
        Cisco-nfnic   5.0.0.15-1OEM.700.1.0.15843807
        Cisco-nenic-ens       1.0.4.0-1OEM.700.1.0.15843807

 

Thanks,
Hans

[Kinnison]

Hello,

Well, in addition to having established which base image used, you have checked which other components have been added, for example the so-called "vendor add-ons", certain VIBs are specific, on some of my HOSTS I only use add-on components as additional components the specifically necessary drivers which but then I add only those software components that I need, so if someone wants to know what "I actually have running" they have to find it, for example from the version / name of the drivers in use .

I can't know what the person who updated those machines did, they may have originally installed the systems with a custom image and then updated them with the standard one without adding the vendor's add-ons. But if you allow me, it seems reasonable to you that no one knows what was installed on those systems.

Regards,
Ferdinando