Below are three methods of obtaining the build number of a VMware ESXi host. The build number helps to identify the build that an ESXi host is running which helps in determining compatibility with patches (hotfixes) and other VMware products.
Method 1: Connect to the ESXi host using SSH.
- If not already done, SSH must be enabled on the target ESXi host.
- Using your tool of choice, open an SSH session to target ESXi host using the "root" user account and corresponding password.
- Once am SSH session is established, enter the following command from the ESXi shell:
vmware -vl
Below is a sample of the output that is returned:
VMware ESXi 6.7.0 build-17499825
VMware ESXi 6.7.0 Update 3
Method 2: Connect to the ESXi host using vSphere Client.
- Using your web browser of choice, enter the following into the address bar of the web browser window:
http://host-name/ui
Or
http://host-fqdn/ui
Or
http://host-IP-address/ui
- Once presented with the login screen, enter "root" for the User name field and the corresponding password for the root user account in the password field. Click Login.
- The Host Name is seen on the right side of the window after connected to the UI of the target ESXi host with Host selected on the left side of the window.
- Below the Host Name, the Version is seen (which includes the build number).
Below is an example of what is seen in the UI:
host-fqdn
Version 6.7.0 (Build 17499825)
Method 3: Connect to vCenter Server using vSphere Client.
- Using your web browser of choice, enter the following into the address bar of the web browser window:
https://vcenter-server-fqdn
Or
https://vcenter-server-ip-address
- On the Getting Started screen, select LAUNCH VSPHERE CLIENT (HTML5).
- Enter the local admin username for the User name field when presented with the login screen (for example, the default is administrator@vsphere.local).
- Enter the corresponding password for the supplied local admin account in the password field and click LOGIN.
- Drill-down from the vCenter Server object to find the Target host after logged in to the UI with Host and Clusters selected on the upper left side of the window (for example, expand the data center object and then the cluster where the host is located).
- Select the Target hostname in the list.
- On the right side of the window, a Summary tab is seen.
- Select the Summary tab if it is not already selected.
- On the first line under Summary, Hypervisor is seen. Hypervisor includes the build number.
Example of what is seen in the UI:
Hypervisor: VMware ESXi, 6.7.0, 17499825