Version: ESXi 5.5 Update 3b

Profile Name: ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard

Build: 3248547

If the ESXi host you would like to update is not connected to the internet or you want to minimize the downtime, then you will need to create your own offline update image using VMware vSphere Imagebuilder. To do so follow the following steps:

1. Install PowerCLI on a Windows machine connected to the internet.
2. Open a PowerCLI session.
3. Add the ESX software depot to the current PowerCLI session:
   • Add-EsxSoftwareDepot https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml
4. Create the ESXi 5.5 u3b Offline update image:
   • Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard -ExportToBundle -FilePath .\ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard.zip
5. The update image will be created at the current directory of the PowerCLI session
6. Copy the image and upload to a datastore on the ESXi host using the Datastore browser of the vSphere Client
7. Connect to ESXi shell via SSH and run the following command to enter maintenance mode:
   • vim-cmd /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter
8. To update the host issue the following command:
   • esxcli software profile update -d /vmfs/volumes/datastore2/ESXi.5.5.0.u3b/ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard.zip -p ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard
   • Note, that the update image is hosted, in my case, under datastore2/ESXi.5.5.0.u3b directory
   • The file name, in my case, is ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard.zip which contain the profile name ESXi-5.5.0-20151204001-standard which is the profile name if the ESXi Update 3b
9. After a successful update, you will need to reboot:
   • reboot
10. After rebooting connect back to the ESXi host and exit the maintenance mode:
    • vim-cmd /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

Important notes:

• If the ESXi host is connected to the internet and no need to minimize the server downtime, use the easier method described here.
• If you are using vSphere Client as the main management tool, do not upgrade the virtual hardware of your VMs to version 10.