PFMP: How to Create a standard ESXi ISO Image using a published patch bundle.

Procedure for creating standard ESXi.iso images using the ESXi patch bundle (ESXidepot.zip).

• The PowerCLI module must be installed on PowerShell.
•  For the image-builder module using PowerCLI for exporting ISO images it is recommended to install Python. 

Note: PowerFlex Manager 4.6 and above uses a standard ESXi image for system builds, so no OEM driver or other customization should be done during the creation of the standard ESXi ISO image.

How to Install and Configure PowerCLI.

Before we begin use the VMware Broadcom link to identify the appropriate PowerCLI version that is compatible with VMware vSphere ESXi 7. X or 8 X version
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-PowerCLI/latest/rn/compatibility-matrix-for-vmware-powercli/index.html 

Steps:
1. Open PowerShell on your workstation.
2. Download a version of PowerCLI later than PowerCLI 6.5 R1 from thePowerShell Gallery page. (we are not downloading it, the "Install-Module" command does it for you. In the command below you need the version number collected from the website)

3. To install all PowerCLI modules, run the command: 

Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -RequiredVersion

Example:

#Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -RequiredVersion 13.3.0.24145081

Note: Alternatively, you can install individual PowerCLI modules by running the Install-Module cmdlet with the module name. If you see a warning that you are installing modules from an untrusted repository, press y and press Enter to confirm the installation.

4. Verify the PowerCLI module is installed on your personal computer by using the command.

#Get-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -ListAvailable.

How to Install and Configure Python in Windows. 
Use this procedure to deploy Python which is required by PowerCLI for creating the ESXI.ISO’s

1. Download Python 3.9.x or later from https://www.python.org/downloads and complete the installation on your machine.

2. Save the get-pip.py file from https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py

Note: after accessing, copy the content from the link to a notepad save the file with the filename "get-pip.py" and choose the file type as "all files" in the SaveAsType field.  

3. Open a command prompt on your workstation and install the pip package manager.

python.exe C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\get-pip.py

4. In the command prompt, install the required Python modules.

\Scripts\pip.exe install six psutil lxml pyopenssl

For example:

C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts\pip3.10.exe install six psutil lxml pyopenssl

 5. Open PowerShell and set the path to the Python executable.

Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -PythonPath \python.exe -Scope User

Example: 

Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -PythonPath C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\python.exe -Scope User



Perform operation?
Performing operation 'Update VMware.PowerCLI configuration.'?
[Y] Yes  [A] Yes to All  [N] No  [L] No to All  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "Y"): Y

Scope    ProxyPolicy     DefaultVIServerMode InvalidCertificateAction  DisplayDeprecationWarnings WebOperationTimeout
                                                                                                  Seconds
-----    -----------     ------------------- ------------------------  -------------------------- -------------------
Session  UseSystemProxy  Multiple            Unset                     True                       300
User
AllUsers

Once the required PowerCli/python is installed and verified. 

How to Export an Image Profile to ISO

Before we start the procedure of building the ISO, we should download the esxi-patch. Depot from the Broadcom portal
Note: For certain patch releases Broadcom would not release ISO images, using this image one could generate ISO images for patches that are not supplied with ISO images.
Steps:
1. Launch Powershell.
2.    Change the directory to the file path where the file is downloaded or use the direct path where the file is located as mentioned in the below example.
Note: before running the next step we must download the esxi-patch-depot.zip from the Broadcom portal.

3. Add the software depot to upload the image profile.

 Use the below link to download the ESXi images from the Broadcom portal.
https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/productdownloads?subfamily=VMware%20vSphere

Example for the direct path:

#Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl “C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads\ISO test\VMware-ESXi-7.0U3p-23307199-depot.zip”

Note: we should use double quotes if you have space in the folder name (ISO test)

 In the following Example if you are already in the destination folder where the files exist, use the below command.

#Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl VMware-ESXi-7.0U3p-23307199-depot.zip

4. View all available image profiles to find the name of the image profile to export.

#Get-EsxImageProfile


Below example, output contains image profiles for 7. x and 8. x ESXi images

Name                           Vendor          Last Modified   Acceptance Level

----                           ------          -------------   ----------------

ESXi-8.0U3-24022510-no-tools   VMware, Inc.    6/11/2024 1:... PartnerSupported

ESXi-8.0U3-24022510-standard   VMware, Inc.    6/11/2024 1:... PartnerSupported

ESXi-7.0U3sq-23794019-no-tools VMware, Inc.    5/3/2024 9:4... PartnerSupported

ESXi-7.0U3q-23794027-standard  VMware, Inc.    5/21/2024 12... PartnerSupported

ESXi-7.0U3sq-23794019-standard VMware, Inc.    5/21/2024 12... PartnerSupported

ESXi-7.0U3q-23794027-no-tools  VMware, Inc.    5/3/2024 11:... PartnerSupported

  5. Export the image profile.

Note: from the above setup we get the image profile names that we should choose standard image only.

 In the above example, we have three standard image profiles we should ignore the profile which is tagged as "sq" and no-tools.

#Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile "myprofile" -ExportToIso -FilePath iso_name

Example for 7. X ESXi image

Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile "ESXi-7.0U3q-23794027-standard" -ExportToIso -FilePath E:\smb\ESXi-7.0U3q-23794027-standard.iso

Example for 8.x ESXi image

#Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile "ESXi-8.0U3-24022510-standard" -ExportToIso -FilePath E:\smb\vSphere8.0\test\ESXi-8.0U3-24022510-standard.iso

    6. Upload the ESXi.ISO to PowerFlex Manager for performing the deployment and upgrades. The procedure for uploading the image to the PowerFlex manager is available in rack and appliance documents. 
Note:   
Rack deployment use rack-field-logical-build-guide-4x-en-us
Appliance deployment use flex_appliance_deployment_guide_4x