Manual Host Restore Using CLI

Going to be upgrading some hosts (manually) in the next few weeks. I have the host configs backed up. Once I've upgraded the host and reassigned the IP, I can then initiate the restore via CLI then just add the VM's back into inventory. Thats it right? Has anyone ever run into issues with the restore using CLI?

Don't have VUM...Don't ask

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Essendon

While I havent done this myself, I dont see a problem in your method. I got to ask though, how about vCenter and what version of ESXi are you upgrading from and to?

paul78

I think that the 2 minor issues that I encountered with ESXi was:

1) If you are not using enterprise hardware, in 5.5, drivers for some hardware that used to be included are no longer included. In my case, Realtek network driver IIRC. You just need to make sure you are actually doing an update and not a reinstall. The previous existing drivers should still work.

2) It may just be my own lack of attention in going through the logs and esxcli output. But after the upgrade, I couldn't really tell if the upgrade was successful or not. I didn't actually notice until I rebooted the host.

The second item wasted a bit of my time because I couldn't quite figure why it was failing but in actuality, it was successful.

tstrip007

Essendon wrote: »

While I havent done this myself, I dont see a problem in your method. I got to ask though, how about vCenter and what version of ESXi are you upgrading from and to?

Upgrading vCenter from 5.1 to 5.5. Upgrading three 4.0 hosts to 5.5 and one 5.1 to 5.5 (Primary 4 host cluster). vCenter is a VM residing on one of the 4.0 hosts. Will be physically moving hosts to a datacenter along with a dialer that supports a multi-site call center. Will be switching SAN switch ports to 9000 mtu for jumbo frames, enabling EVC, HA and DRS. None of this is enabled right now and that is just unacceptable in my opinion (I didn't do initial setup). Will be purchasing another host for HA purposes because this 4 host cluster is nearly maxed with everything on. Will be crystal marking the storage, testing vmotion, testing HA failover for the priority VM's, along with other things associated with the dialer. All of this done over night and ready to go at 7am the next morning. I will be testing most of this in my home lab but you can see why I don't want any surprises.

Essendon

Good luck with the above, let us know how you went. Good experience this!

DigitalZeroOne

tstrip007 wrote: »

Going to be upgrading some hosts (manually) in the next few weeks. I have the host configs backed up. Once I've upgraded the host and reassigned the IP, I can then initiate the restore via CLI then just add the VM's back into inventory. Thats it right? Has anyone ever run into issues with the restore using CLI?

Don't have VUM...Don't ask

When you say you backed up the host configs, do you mean with get-vmhostfirmware? If so, I don't know if you will be able to push that config back. I backed up a host so I could take that image and push it to other hosts, and unless I patched the hosts that were receiving the image to the same level that the original host had, it would not work. But that was with PowerCLI 5.0, maybe PowerCLI 5.5 will allow it.

tstrip007

Not using Power CLI, using vSphere CLI (vCLI) using the command...... vicfg-cfgbackup.pl --server ipaddress -s C:\vbackup\esx1.txt .....Then once I install the updated image on the host and assign the existing IP address ill run vicfg-cfgbackup.pl --server ipaddress -l C:\vbackup\esx1.txt.... and should have all my host configs back, should only have to add VM's back into inventory.

DigitalZeroOne

tstrip007 wrote: »

Not using Power CLI, using vSphere CLI (vCLI) using the command...... vicfg-cfgbackup.pl --server ipaddress -s C:\vbackup\esx1.txt .....Then once I install the updated image on the host and assign the existing IP address ill run vicfg-cfgbackup.pl --server ipaddress -l C:\vbackup\esx1.txt.... and should have all my host configs back, should only have to add VM's back into inventory.

Sorry, you did write CLI, but for some reason when I see VMware and CLI, my mind automatically goes to PowerCLI. My mistake, I hope the upgrade works out.

tstrip007

Ah yah I should of been more clear about that.

Essendon

How did you go with this upgrade mate?

tstrip007

Essendon wrote: »

How did you go with this upgrade mate?

Hasn't been done yet. Was at the datacenter all day today prepping. Actually put in server and storage switches today. Threw esx on a pc and put it in the rack for some testing. Have to convert a entire building from analog to voip first. Going to be posting my HA plans here soon to hopefully get some feedback.

Essendon

Sounds like you'll be getting some decent experience there! Good luck.

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