CHAPTER 19VMware Patch Management

This chapter covers VMware patch management with the VMware vSphere Host Update Utility and VMware Update Manager (VUM).

The vSphere Host Update Utility is used to patch ESX hosts and upgrade from ESXi 3 to ESXi 4. Personally, I think it’s intended for those people who opt to download the free ESXi 4 software. Like any good software vendor, VMware allows the users of the free version to patch the ESX host software.

VUM, VMware’s patch management system, is much meatier than the Host Update Utility. It comes in two main flavors: as a stand-alone application used for stand-alone ESX hosts and as a plug-in extension for vCenter. It patches and upgrades ESX hosts, and optionally can patch Windows-based VMs using ...

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