vmware -v                                     # show esxi build number

Shutdown/migrate all VMs

Enter maintenance mode

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

Backup current config

vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/sync_config          # sync config with persistent storage
vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/backup_config        # create backup with download link

check installed vibs

esxcli software vib list

Apply patches

esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/6177dced-35509914-62a6-c4346ba93614/patches/VMware-Tools-12.5.1-core-offline-depot-ESXi-all-24649672.zip
esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/6177dced-35509914-62a6-c4346ba93614/patches/ESXi650-202202001.zip > /var/log/sit-patch-ESXi650-202202001.log 2&>1         # stable ssh connection
nohup esxcli software vib update -d /vmfs/volumes/6177dced-35509914-62a6-c4346ba93614/patches/ESXi650-202202001.zip > /var/log/sit-patch-ESXi650-202202001.log 2&>1   # unstable ssh connection

reboot after all patches are installed

reboot

verify newly installed vibs

esxcli software vib list

Exit maintenance mode

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

View live log

tail -f /var/log/sit-patch-ESXi650-202202001.log

Shutdown/migrate all VMs

Enter maintenance mode

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

Backup current config

vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/sync_config          # sync config with persistent storage
vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/backup_config        # create backup with download link

check installed vibs

esxcli software vib list

check image profiles in depot

Offline

esxcli software sources profile list --depot=/vmfs/volumes/602b6b5a-37187eec-e182-bc97e1e50d80/update/VMware-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-depot.zip

Online

esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e true -r httpClient
esxcli software sources profile list -d https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml
esxcli software sources profile list -d https://hostupdate.broadcom.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml

Apply updates/upgrades

Offline

esxcli software profile update --depot=/vmfs/volumes/602b6b5a-37187eec-e182-bc97e1e50d80/update/VMware-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-depot.zip --profile=ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-standard > /var/log/sit-update-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508.log 2&>1         # stable ssh connection
nohup esxcli software profile update --depot=/vmfs/volumes/602b6b5a-37187eec-e182-bc97e1e50d80/update/VMware-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-depot.zip --profile=ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-standard > /var/log/sit-update-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508.log 2&>1   # unstable ssh connection

Online

#dry run
esxcli software profile update --dry-run -p ESXi-8.0U3d-24585383-standard -d https://hostupdate.broadcom.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml

esxcli software profile update -p ESXi-8.0U3d-24585383-standard -d https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml
esxcli software profile update -p ESXi-8.0U3d-24585383-standard -d https://hostupdate.broadcom.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml

reboot after all patches are installed

esxcli system shutdown reboot -r "Installed patches"

verify newly installed vibs

esxcli software vib list

Exit maintenance mode

esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e false -r httpClient
vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

View live log

tail -f /var/log/sit-update-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508.log

Error:

[user@ESXi:~] esxcli software sources profile list -d https://hostupdate.broadcom.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml
 [MemoryError]
 Please refer to the log file for more details.

Workaround:

esxcli system settings advanced set -o /VisorFS/VisorFSPristineTardisk -i 0
cp /usr/lib/vmware/esxcli-software /usr/lib/vmware/esxcli-software.bak
sed -i 's/mem=300/mem=500/g' /usr/lib/vmware/esxcli-software.bak
mv /usr/lib/vmware/esxcli-software.bak /usr/lib/vmware/esxcli-software -f
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /VisorFS/VisorFSPristineTardisk -i 1