ESXi upgrades with Cisco custom ESXi image?

[00u1epkduc3nQAhko5d7]

If you are upgrading an environment from ESXi 6.5 U1 to ESXi 6.5 U3 how do you handle the upgrade? Of course, the original ESXi 6.5 install was done using the Cisco custom ESXi image. I cant find any documentation on this process.

1. Do you patch from ESXi 6.5 U1 to U3 using VUM / VMware patches only and then verify the enic/fnic driver version compatibility after the updates and update if necessary?

2. Or do you do a full upgrade with the Cisco custom ESXi 6.5 U3 image using VUM?

Thoughts?

[Kirk J]

Might be faster to use the 'offline bundle' of the 6.5u3 Cisco customized zip such as https://customerconnect.vmware.com/en/downloads/details?downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI65U3-CISCO&productId=614

Customized ISOs are just a point in time, and won't nessesarily have the matching drivers for your firmware level.

You will always want to compare firmware and OS version, to determine matching driver version at: https://ucshcltool.cloudapps.cisco.com/public/#

It's best to use an available customized image/bundle to get you as close to your target patch level as possible, and then you can use security/smaller ESXi patches to get to a specific patch level.

Kirk...