VMware ESXi 7.0U3g - OEM Custom ISO?

[Daniel Andryszak]

Currently have 4 B200 M4 servers running VMware ESXi 7.0.3c.

ESXi was installed using Custom OEM Image Cisco-UCS-Addon-ESXi-70U3_4.2.1-a.

To address some issues, I need to update the ESXi hosts to 7.0.3g. There is no custom OEM image for 7.0.3g.

How should I go about the upgrade / re-install, making sure that I have installed all of the components to support the B200 M4?

[Wes Austin · Accepted solution]

You can just upgrade directly to the the version you want using the patch from Vmware. The only difference between Cisco custom ISO and VMware ISO is the Cisco ISO comes with drivers to get OS installed. If OS is installed, you would just patch the OS normally, there is no dependency that requires you to use the Cisco custom ISO.

[kailas jadhav]

Yes, we can upgrade straight by obtaining upgrades from VMware, but we also need to update drivers by adding Cisco Addon drivers during the upgrade to maintain drivers current and prevent any host issues caused by out-of-date drivers.

Therefore, kindly inform me when Cisco UCSB Addon will be released for ESXI upgrade 7.0.3g.

[Wes Austin]

Im not sure what Cisco Addon drivers are. You can install the ESXi 7.0.x ISO from Cisco that will come with our drivers. When you patch, the drivers will stay in tact that came with the Cisco ISO and you will be patched to the new VMware release. You will still need to upgrade/downgrade if any drivers that are out of date, but you should not need a driver change simply patching ESXi one minor maintenance release. 

[kailas jadhav]

I've included a screenshot of OEM Addon once Cisco releases it, and it can be found in the VMware download portal's OEM Addon category.

And the last OEM Addon release date is 2022-02-01, which we used to update ESXi 7.0 Update 3c.

We need to upgrade ESXi 7.0 Update 3g and are looking for a Cisco Addon, but there appears to be no release for ESXi 7.0 Update 3g.

[Daniel Andryszak]

Thank you for the quick response.