Apply latest patches to VMWare ESXi 4

• When applying the latest patches to VMWare ESXi 4 I like to use the utility "esxupdate".  If you already have ESXi 4 installed than you probably already have this installed on the host machine.

• First thing to do is to download the latest patch.  In this case I'm downloading and applying "update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update01.zip".  You have to place it on your host machine somewhere.  I use the vSphere Client, browse the datastore, and then upload it to the host that way.

• Next thing you will want to do is power down all of your VMs and then put your host in maintenance mode.  This is done in the vSphere Client by right-clicking the host name and select Enter Maintenance mode. 

• Next you have to establish a SSH session to the host.  Insure that you have first enabled SSH through the host console.

Once you have establed an SSH session run the following. 

#esxupdate --bundle update-from-esxi4.1-4.1_update01.zip update

The location of the .zip file of course depends on where you placed it.

ILO Remote console already in use

Problem: You try to remote console into a server via ILO and you receive the following message:
"The Remote Console is unavailable, it is already in use by a different client."

Likely Cause: This usually is because you had an ILO session open previously, shut off your workstation or laptop without closing your session and subsequently obtained a new IP address via DHCP.  Since your IP address is different, you would be unable to logon to that same session.

Solution:  Logon directly to your ILO card via the web address: https://[yourILOipaddress]

Click the "Remote Console" tab, on the left side click "Settings".  Under "Remote Console Acquire" click the "Enable" option.

Now go back to try to remote console to the ILO session and you will now be able to "Acquire" the session.