VMware ESXi command-line cheat-sheet

Get vmware version and release level

vmware -vl

Enable/disable maintenance mode

esxcli system maintenanceMode set --enable {:MaintenanceBoolean:}

Reboot/power off the vm host

esxcli system shutdown reboot --reason "{:Reason:}"
esxcli system shutdown poweroff --reason "{:Reason:}"

List running VMs

esxcli vm process list

Shutdown/kill running VM

esxcli vm process kill --type=soft --world-id={:WorldID:}
esxcli vm process kill --type=hard --world-id={:WorldID:}
esxcli vm process kill --type=force --world-id={:WorldID:}

List host software

esxcli software vib list

List host modules

esxcfg-module --list
esxcli system module list
esxcli system module list --enabled=true
esxcli system module list --loaded=true

Enable/disable host module

esxcfg-module -e {:ModuleName:}
esxcfg-module -d {:ModuleName:}
esxcli system module set --module {:ModuleName:} --enabled={:ModEnableBoolean:}

Force load module

esxcli system module load --module {:ModuleName:}

List all vibs

esxcli software vib list

Install vib software

esxcli software vib install --depot "{:OfflineBundleZipPath:}"

Update vib software/Update ESXi with offline bundle

esxcli software vib update --depot "{:OfflineBundleZipPath:}"

Uninstall vib software

esxcli software vib remove --vibname={:VIBName:}

List SCSI devices and some details

esxcfg-scsidevs -a

List storage and details

esxcli storage core device list

List physical NICs

esxcfg-nics -l
esxcli network nic list

List vSwitches

esxcfg-vswitch -l
esxcli network vswitch standard list
esxcli network vswitch dvs vmware list

List vmkernel NICs

esxcfg-vmknic -l
esxcli network ip interface list

List VMware core dumps

esxcli system coredump file list

Deactivate VMware core dumps

esxcli system coredump file set -u

Delete VMware core dump

esxcli system coredump file remove -f "{:CoreDumpPath:}"