Backing Up and Restoring VMware ESXi Configuration Settings

Prerequisites:

• SSH access enabled on the VMware ESXi host.

• Administrative credentials for the ESXi host.

• A secure location to store the backup file.

Backing Up ESXi Configuration

Steps:

1. Enable SSH Access:

   • Ensure SSH access is enabled on your ESXi host. Refer to the guide on "Enabling SSH Access on VMware ESXi" if needed.

2. SSH into the ESXi Host:

   • Use an SSH client to connect to the ESXi host. Login with your administrator credentials.

3. Run the Backup Command:

   • Execute the following command to back up the ESXi configuration:

     vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/backup_config

   • This command outputs a URL containing the backup file location, typically in the format of /scratch/downloads/[date]-[time].tgz. Note this URL, as you will need it to download the backup file.

4. Download the Backup File:

   • Access the ESXi host using a web browser or an SCP client. Navigate to the provided URL or directory, and download the .tgz backup file to a secure location.

Restoring ESXi Configuration

Prerequisites:

• The ESXi host must be in maintenance mode before restoring the configuration.

• The backup .tgz file you previously saved.

Steps:

1. Enter Maintenance Mode:

   • Connect to the ESXi host via SSH.

   • Execute the following command to put the host into maintenance mode:

     esxcli system maintenanceMode set --enable true

2. Restore the Configuration:

   • Ensure the backup file is accessible from your local machine or a location that the ESXi host can access.

   • Use the following command to restore the configuration from the backup file:

     vim-cmd hostsvc/firmware/restore_config /path/to/backup_file.tgz

   • Replace /path/to/backup_file.tgz with the actual path to your backup file.

3. Reboot the Host:

   • After successfully restoring the configuration, reboot the host for the changes to take effect:

     reboot

4. Exit Maintenance Mode:

   • Once the host has rebooted, exit maintenance mode by connecting via SSH and running:

     esxcli system maintenanceMode set --enable false