VxRail ESXi Express Patch Deployment Guidelines

Oversigt: This article provides guidance for assessing, planning, and installing ESXi Express Patches in VxRail environments. It outlines key considerations, recommended procedures, and operational best practices to help ensure a successful and supported patch deployment. ...

Denne artikel gælder for Denne artikel gælder ikke for Denne artikel er ikke knyttet til et bestemt produkt. Det er ikke alle produktversioner, der er identificeret i denne artikel.
Udforsk andre ressourcer

Instruktioner

VXRAIL   /   KNOWLEDGE BASE

Installing ESXi Express Patches on VxRail Clusters

Select the installation procedure for your cluster management mode and ESXi major version.

Scope: This article applies only to ESXi Express Patches. Security updates for vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA), VMware Tools, and other VMware components require separate assessment and the relevant product-specific patching procedures.
Cluster compliance: review before patching

Manually installing an ESXi Express Patch can advance the installed ESXi version beyond the version expected by the VxRail baseline. Hosts can therefore be compliant with the updated vLCM cluster image while the cluster reports VxRail non-compliance.

The high-level options for this expected mismatch are:

  • Retain the current state: Take no corrective action after reviewing the Compliance report. Compare the current and expected versions to confirm that ESXi has advanced beyond the VxRail baseline.
  • Resolve the compliance mismatch: Contact Dell Support for the applicable workaround if VxRail compliance needs to be restored before the next upgrade.

See Resolve compliance for details. For scripted patch installation on applicable vLCM-enabled ESXi 8.x clusters, see the vLCM Patch Apply tool procedure.

Overview and scope

ESXi Express Patches are typically released by Broadcom to address critical security vulnerabilities. A patch may become available before the corresponding VxRail Composite Bundle.

This article describes the installation workflows for ESXi Express Patches on VxRail clusters. Before applying a patch, assess its applicability and validate supportability for the target VxRail environment.

The installation workflow depends on the cluster management mode and ESXi major version. Use the procedure selector below after confirming the management mode.

Back to contents  |  Back to top

Identify the cluster management mode

Determine whether the target cluster uses vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) or Legacy VxRail Lifecycle Management (LCM).

Refer to Dell KB 000419960 — VxRail: Managing vLCM Custom Components, specifically:

  • How to Confirm vLCM is Enabled
  • How to Confirm vLCM is Not Enabled

Select your procedure

Installation procedures by cluster management mode and ESXi version
Cluster management mode ESXi 8.x ESXi 9.x
vLCM-enabled Manual installation
Scripted installation		 Go to procedure
Legacy LCM Go to procedure Not applicable

Back to contents  |  Back to top

Example patch packages

The examples in this article use the following depot packages:

  • ESXi 8.x: VMware-ESXi-8.0U3k-25595708-depot.zip
  • ESXi 9.x: VMware-ESXi-9.1.0.0200.25557999-depot.zip

Package names and versions vary by Express Patch release. Select the package applicable to the target environment and review the release-specific requirements before proceeding.

Back to contents  |  Back to top

vLCM-enabled clusters — ESXi 8.x: Manual installation

Applies to: VxRail clusters with vLCM enabled, running ESXi 8.x.
Installation method: Import the depot into Lifecycle Manager, update the cluster image, and remediate the hosts.
  1. Navigate to vCenter > Lifecycle Manager.
  2. Select Actions > Import Updates.
  3. Upload the ESXi Express Patch depot package downloaded from Broadcom.
  4. Monitor Recent Tasks and confirm that the import completes successfully without errors.
  5. Navigate to Inventory > Cluster > Updates > Hosts > Image.
  6. Click Edit.
  7. From the ESXi Version drop-down menu, select the newly imported Express Patch version.
  8. Click Save.
  9. Click Remediate All, then click Start Remediation.
  10. Monitor remediation until all hosts are compliant with the updated vLCM cluster image.
Expected VxRail compliance status: After manual installation, the VxRail cluster can report non-compliance because the installed ESXi version is ahead of the VxRail baseline. Review the Compliance report to confirm the current-versus-expected version difference, then either retain the expected mismatch or contact Dell Support to resolve it. See Resolve compliance.

vLCM-enabled clusters — ESXi 8.x: Scripted installation

To apply ESXi depot patches to VxRail 8.0.300 and later releases with vLCM enabled, follow Dell KB 000496253 — VxRail: vLCM Patch Apply tool.

Back to contents  |  Back to top

vLCM-enabled clusters — ESXi 9.x

Applies to: VxRail clusters with vLCM enabled, running ESXi 9.x.
Installation method: Use the ESXi Express Patch Updates wizard in the VxRail plug-in.
  1. Navigate to Inventory > Cluster > Configure > VxRail > Updates > Local Updates > ESXi Express Patch Updates.
  2. Review and accept the Update Agreement.
  3. Click Select Bundle.
  4. Browse to and select the ESXi Express Patch depot package downloaded from Broadcom.
  5. Click Upload.
  6. Wait for the upload and validation process to complete successfully.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Follow the remaining wizard prompts to apply the patch.

Back to contents  |  Back to top

Legacy LCM clusters — ESXi 8.x

Applies to: VxRail clusters using Legacy LCM, running ESXi 8.x.
Installation method: Use the ESXi Express Patch Updates wizard in the VxRail plug-in.
  1. Navigate to Inventory > Cluster > Configure > VxRail > Updates > Local Updates > ESXi Express Patch Updates.
  2. Review and accept the Update Agreement.
  3. Click Select Bundle.
  4. Browse to and select the ESXi Express Patch depot package downloaded from Broadcom.
  5. Click Upload.
  6. Wait for the upload and validation process to complete successfully.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Follow the remaining wizard prompts to apply the patch.

Back to contents  |  Back to top

Resolve compliance

Following a manual ESXi Express Patch installation, VxRail non-compliance can reflect a difference between the installed ESXi version and the version expected by the VxRail baseline. Review this difference before deciding whether corrective action is required.

Option 1: Retain the current state

One option is to take no corrective action for the expected ESXi version mismatch. Review the Compliance report and compare the current version with the expected version. This comparison shows where ESXi has advanced beyond the version expected by VxRail and explains the resulting non-compliance.

If this option is selected, the cluster continues to report the mismatch. Confirm that the reported difference corresponds to the installed Express Patch; assess any additional compliance findings separately.

Option 2: Resolve the compliance mismatch

The workaround is a correction to the VxRail baseline to address the mismatch associated with the manually installed ESXi Express Patch. If compliance needs to be restored before the next upgrade, contact Dell Support for the applicable procedure.

Back to contents  |  Back to top

Related documentation

Dell KB 000419960 — VxRail: Managing vLCM Custom Components

Dell KB 000496253 — VxRail: vLCM Patch Apply tool

Back to contents  |  Back to top

Berørte produkter

VxRail, VxRail 460 and 470 Nodes, VxRail Appliance Series, VxRail G Series Nodes, VxRail D Series Nodes, VxRail D560, VxRail D560F, VxRail E Series Nodes, VxRail P Series Nodes, VxRail S Series Nodes

Produkter

VxRail Software, VxRail V Series Nodes, VxRail VD Series Nodes
Artikelegenskaber
Artikelnummer: 000509330
Artikeltype: How To
Senest ændret: 19 sep. 2026
Version:  1
Find svar på dine spørgsmål fra andre Dell-brugere
Supportservices
Kontrollér, om din enhed er dækket af supportservices.