Introduction
This how-to will show you how to upgrade your metal firmware on ESX hosts.
This does not require VMware Update manager.
Steps (7 total)
Go to your hardware manufacturer website and download the appropriate files.
In Vsphere select the host you want to upgrade.
1. Select the configuration tab
2. Select Security profile on the left in the configuration page.
3. Select properties on the top left of the configuration page
4. Scroll down to SSH select properties then start.
Open up Putty and connect to the IP address of the host
Log into the host using the root password
Open up WinSCP and connect using the ip address of the ESX host
1.Make a new folder within the tmp folder in the host directory
2.Drop you Firmware files into that directory that you just created.(It could be one file or multiple, I would place all the firmware files into the folder even the README just to be safe)
1.Navigate to the Firmware folder using the following path:
cd /tmp
cd Firmware/
2.Execute the following commands to give yourself permission to execute those files. Run the following command for all the installation files you have present (Usually .vmexe or .scexe files)
chmod +x Filename.vmexe
3. After you have given yourself permission to execute the file run the following command to execute the file and start the firmware upgrade.(ONE FILE AT A TIME)
./Filename.vmexe
4. It will ask for a y or n to begin the upgrade (NOTE:DO NOT INTERUPT THIS PROCESS)
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each firmware file you have.
Reboot the host in VSphere and then you are done. Go into ILO or DRAC to confirm the appropriate firmware versions have been installed.
Conclusion
You should be all set!
Let me know how this How-To was and i will edit if needed.