Spending an Afternoon with the Host Update Utility

One of the great things about working in IT, is that software will always need to be updated. If it didn’t, some of us would need to find a new line of work. Just because it needs updating, does not mean we have to like it. In fact, most vendor update processes are needlessly obtuse. Luckily for us VMware helps us along, providing several mechanisms for updates, each offering varying degrees of automation. One of my new favorite bits of awesome here is the “VMware vSphere Host Update Utility”, a needlessly long name for a simple process:

Downloading the patches

I believe the answer to this is yes. What do you think? With this, the Host Update Utility reaches out to VMware’s site and starts pulling down the needed updates (complete with a progress bar:

Adding a host

Simple is as simple does Forest.

Scanning & Updating

Here it gets a bit more fun. Taking a look at where we are now:

Clicking scan prompts for your user and password, then scans. Here’s the result:

Lets upgrade! (Note: The host needs to be in maintenance mode for this part to work)

Install & Grab a Coffee. You’ve earned it.