VMware ESXi Command Line Cheat Sheet

General Management Snapshots Network

Get ESXi build and version numbers Restart Management, HA Services List all VM snapshots List VM networking information
esxcli system version get /sbin/services restart vim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.get <vmid> esxcli network vm list
Get host hostname, domain, and FQDN List Virtual Machines (VMIDs) Create snapshot for running VM Get IPv4 configuration for all interfaces on host
esxcli system hostname get vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms vmware-cmd vmsvc/snapshot createsnapshot "New Snaphot Name" "Snapshop Description" <vmid> <snapshotid> esxcli network ip interface ipv4 get
Get date and time ESXi was installed List running VMs with world ID Create snapshot for running VM, with RAM Get firewall state
esxcli system stats installtime get esxcli vm process list vim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.create <vmid> "New Snaphot Name" "Snapshop Description" includeMemory esxcli network firewall get
List local users on ESXi host Terminate VM process (forcibly powers off VM) Delete a snapshot Disable firewall
esxcli system account list esxcli vm process kill vim-cmd vmsvc/snapshot.remove <vmid> <snapshotid> esxcli network firewall set –enabled true | false
Create local ESXi user Power On Retrieve Snapshot Removal Task ID Get firewall rules
esxcli system account add -d="Description" -i="username" vim-cmd vmsvc/power.on <vmid> vim-cmd vimsvc/task_list (to get task ID) esxcli network firewall ruleset list
-p="password" -c="password" Power Off (Soft) Monitor Removal of Snapshot Get firewall rules piped to awk
List available commands with descriptions vim-cmd vmsvc/power.off <vmid> vim-cmd vimsvc/task_info <task ID> esxcli network firewall ruleset list | awk '$2 =="true"'
esxcli command getdetails Power Off (Hard) Remove all snapshots Activate ESXi Firewall Ruleset
List all available namespaces with corresponding commands esxcli vm process kill -w [worldID] -t [soft,hard,force] vmware-cmd /vmfs/volumes/local0/Example/Example.vmx removesnapshots esxcli network firewall ruleset set --ruleset-id=sshClient --enabled=true
esxcli esxcli command list Reboot VM Check if volume is native snaphot capable Specify allowed IP Range for SSH
Check maintenance mode vim-cmd vmsvc/power.reboot <vmid> vmkfstools -Ph /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/ esxcli network firewall ruleset allowedip add --ruleset-id sshServer --ip-address 10.10.0.0/24
esxcli system maintenanceMode get Suspend VM List Kernel Network Interfaces
Enable/Disable maintenance mode vim-cmd vmsvc/power.suspend <vmid> esxcli network ip interface list
esxcli system maintenanceMode set –enable true Resume VM List physical Network Interfaces
Reboot/Restart ESXi host vim-cmd vmsvc/power.suspendResume <vmid> esxcli network nic list
esxcli system shutdown reboot -r "message" Reset VM ESXi Kernel modules Shutdown physical network interface
Reboot/Restart ESXi maintenance mode host with countdown timer vim-cmd vmsvc/power.reset <vmid> List loaded kernel modules esxcli network nic down -n <vmnicid>
esxcli system shutdown reboot -d 10 -r "Patch Updates" Shutdown VM vmkload_mod -l List host routing table
Get CPU information of host (family, model, and cache) vim-cmd vmsvc/power.shutdown <vmid> List kernel interfaces esxcli network ip route ipv4 list
esxcli hardware cpu list Show VM info summary esxcfg-vmknic -l Add static route to esxi host
Get memory information (available and non-uniform memory access) vim-cmd vmsvc/get.summary <vmid> Utility for capturing VMkernel events esxcli network ip route ipv4 add --gateway 10.10.1.1 --network 10.10.0.0/24
esxcli hardware memory get Check Host Performance vmkeventd Set ESXi host default gateway
Configuration of and information about syslog esxtop Utility for logging VMkernel events esxcfg-route -a default 192.168.254.1
esxcli system syslog Check storage I/O performance vmklogger Test ESXi host default gateway
Generate support and log information bundle from host vscsiStats Display physical adapters with link state and MAC addresses vmkping -D
vm-support esxcfg-nics -l , esxcfg-vswitch -l, esxcfg-vmknic -l Send ICMP request
Create Kernel interface with specfic MAC and IP Address and add it to portgroup vmkping –I <vmninterfaceid> <ipaddress>
esxcfg-vmknic -a -i 10.10.1.2 -n 255.255.254.0 -M 00:11:22:aa:bb:cc -p <portgroupname> Test host connectivity to specific port
Enable added portgroup nc –z <ipaddress> <port>
Install Software Host Services esxcfg-vmknic -p <portgroupname> -e true List arp cache
Lists currently installed software and drivers (VIBs) on ESXi Enable ESXi shell Delete Kernel interface esxcli network ip neighbor list
esxcli software vib list vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_esx_shell esxcfg-vmknic -d -p <portgroupname> Clear arp cache entry
Install package (VIB) Disable ESXi shell List all enabled kernel modules esxcli network ip neighbor remove -a <ipaddress> -v <IP version number>
esxcli software vib install -v file:/tmp/[NewVIB].vib vim-cmd hostsvc/disable_esx_shell esxcfg-module -q List virtual switches
Uninstall VIB Start ESXi shell Get parameters of a kernel modul, i.e. an Emulex FC HBA module esxcli network vswitch standard list
esxcli software vib remove -n VIBname vim-cmd hostsvc/start_esx_shell esxcfg-module -g <kernelmodulename> Change physical uplink of vSwitch
Update installed VIB on ESXi Enable the SSH daemon Set kernel module parameters esxcli network vswitch standard uplink remove/add -u <vmnicid> -v <vswitchid>
esxcli software vib update -d “/tmp/update.zip” vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh esxcfg-module -s "lpfc0_lun_queue_depth=8 lpfc1_lun_queue_depth=8 List portgroups
Install patch Disable SSH daemon lpfc2_lun_queue_depth=8 lpfc3_lun_queue_depth=8" <kernelmodulename> esxcli network vswitch standard portgroup list
esxcli software vib install /tmp/[patchName].zip vim-cmd hostsvc/disable_ssh Show all kernel module information Add new portgroup to vSwitch
Start SSH daemon esxcfg-module -i <kernelmodulename> esxcli network vswitch standard portgroup add -p "Portgroup_Name -v <vswitchid>
vim-cmd hostsvc/start_ssh List Advanced Kernel Settings/Parameters Set Management Network Interface
Enter Maintenance mode esxcli system settings advanced list -d esxcli network ip interface tag add -i <vmnicid> -t Management
Storage vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter Set Advanced Kernel Parameter Set VLAN id
List current storage devices Exit Maintenance Mode esxcli system settings advanced set -o /UserVars/ExampleKernelParameter -i 0 esxcli network vswitch standard portgroup set --vlan-id <vlanidnumber> -p "Portgroup_Name"
esxcli storage core device list vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit Add Kernel interface to portgroup Set SNMP Community
List all storage devices accessible by host esxcfg-vmknic –a -i <interfaceip> -n <interfacemask> "Portgroup_Name" esxcli system snmp set --communities "COMMUNITY_NAME"
esxcli storage filesystem list Set SNMP Trap destintion
Rename datastore esxcli system snmp set --targets 10.10.1.150/COMMUNITY_NAME
vim-cmd hostsvc/datastore/rename <name> <new_name> Send test SNMP trap
List all storage paths esxcli system snmp test
esxcli storage core path list Virtual Disks Check SNMP State
List storage pathes for specific drive Extend virtual disk esxcli system snmp get
esxcli storage core path list -d <driveid> vmkfstools -X 1500G /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/Example/Example.vmdk Enable IPMI as SNMP source
Generate list of all LUN paths currently connected to host Rename disk esxcli system snmp set --hwsrc sensors
esxcli storage vmfs extent list mv Name.vmdk Name_changed.vmdk Enable CIM as SNMP source
List all storage devices Clone disk esxcli system snmp set --hwsrc indications
esxcli storage nmp device list vmkfstools -i Name_changed.vmdk -d zeroedthick Name_changed_clone.vmdk Enable ESXi Host SNMP
Get hypervisor filesystem information Remove disk esxcli system snmp set --enable true
vdf rm Name.vmdk Capture Network Packets on the a physical interface
Get usage of hypervisor filesystem Jump to directory of VM and monitor activity of delta, flat, and sesparse files pktcap-uw --uplink <vmnicid>
vdu cd /vmfs/volumes/esxdatastore0/vm/vmfs/volumes/510a4e43-4bf56f05-5a34-0034791e8a3/vm # watch -d 'ls -luth | grep -E "delta|flat|sesparse"' List all physical network interfaces
List all HBAs Delete all snapshots and power off VM. Convert thick provisioned disk to thin disk. esxcli network nic list
esxcfg-scsidevs -a vmkfstools -i /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/vm/diskname.vmdk -d thin /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/vm/diskname-thin.vmdk Enable iSCSI software adapter
List all HBAs with WWNN and WWPN Delete VM thick disk esxcli iscsi software set –enabled true
esxcli storage san fc list rm /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/vm/diskname-flat.vmdk.thick Verify iSCSI adapter is enabled
Reset HBA and force fabirc logon Determine configured size of thin disk esxcli iscsi software get
esxcli storage san fc reset -A <hbaid> ls -lh /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/vm/diskname-flat.vmdk List metrics for specific iSCSI adapter
Check if attached storage LUN supports VAAI Determine used size of thin disk esxcli iscsi adapter param get -A <vmhbaid>
esxcli storage core device vaai status get du -h /vmfs/volumes/exampledatastore/vm/diskname-flat.vmdk List established iSCSI sessions
esxcli iscsi sessions