vSphere esxcli cheatsheet
List all esxcli subcommands:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli esxcli command list
Namespace Command Description
-------------------------------------------------- ------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ams.ahslog disable Disable CPU and Memory Usage periodic logging to AHS.
ams.ahslog enable The time interval parameter indicates how often CPU and Memory Usage will be logged to AHS.
ams.ahslog show Show the current CPU and Memory Usage periodic logging interval value in minutes. A value of 0 indicates that CPU and Memory Usage periodic logging is disabled.
ams.periodictrap disable Disable the periodic test trap.
ams.periodictrap enable The time interval parameter indicates how often the periodic test trap will be sent.
ams.periodictrap show Show the current periodic test trap interval value in seconds. A value of 0 indicates that the periodic test trap is disabled.
bootcfg execute execute bootcfg command with options parameter
bootcfg help show bootcfg help
bootcfg show show current bootcfg settings
device add Add a device to enable a software device driver.
device.alias get Display hardware location info for a device alias.
device.alias list List device aliases.
<------------------------------SNIP------------------------------>
List commands for VM operations:
[root@esxi-01:~] vim-cmd vmsvc
Commands available under vmsvc/:
acquiremksticket get.snapshotinfo
acquireticket get.spaceNeededForConsolidation
createdummyvm get.summary
destroy get.tasklist
device.connection getallvms
device.connusbdev gethostconstraints
device.ctlradd message
device.ctlrremove power.getstate
device.disconnusbdev power.hibernate
device.diskadd power.off
device.diskaddexisting power.on
device.diskextend power.reboot
device.diskremove power.reset
device.getdevices power.shutdown
device.nvdimmadd power.suspend
device.nvdimmremove power.suspendResume
device.toolsSyncSet queryftcompat
devices.createnic reload
get.capability setscreenres
get.config snapshot.create
get.config.cpuidmask snapshot.dumpoption
get.configoption snapshot.get
get.datastores snapshot.remove
get.disabledmethods snapshot.removeall
get.environment snapshot.revert
get.filelayout snapshot.setoption
get.filelayoutex tools.cancelinstall
get.guest tools.install
get.guestheartbeatStatus tools.upgrade
get.managedentitystatus unregister
get.networks upgrade
get.runtime
List VM processes:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli vm process list
web01
World ID: 2100981
Process ID: 0
VMX Cartel ID: 2100976
UUID: 56 4d 8e 8a 42 5e 7a 63-3b cf 8e e5 8a 9c 3c 45
Display Name: web01
Config File: /vmfs/volumes/5903354e-f69b6ecf-7ac2-a0d3c106a2d8/web01/web01.vmx
Kill VM with specific World ID:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli vm process kill -w 2100981
List networks associated with VM’s:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network vm list
World ID Name Num Ports Networks
-------- --------------------- --------- --------
2100981 web01 1 DATTST
List ports for a given VM:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network vm port list -w 2102302
Port ID: 33554441
vSwitch: vSwitch0
Portgroup: DAT
DVPort ID:
MAC Address: 00:50:56:8b:b1:a0
IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Team Uplink: vmnic0
Uplink Port ID: 33554434
Active Filters:
List standard vSwitch:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network vswitch standard list
vSwitch0
Name: vSwitch0
Class: cswitch
Num Ports: 5376
Used Ports: 9
Configured Ports: 128
MTU: 9000
CDP Status: listen
Beacon Enabled: false
Beacon Interval: 1
Beacon Threshold: 3
Beacon Required By:
Uplinks: vmnic1, vmnic0
Portgroups: DATMGT, DCN, DAT, DATTST, vMotion, Management Network
vSwitch1
Name: vSwitch1
Class: cswitch
Num Ports: 5376
Used Ports: 7
Configured Ports: 128
MTU: 9000
CDP Status: listen
Beacon Enabled: false
Beacon Interval: 1
Beacon Threshold: 3
Beacon Required By:
Uplinks: vmnic3, vmnic2
Portgroups: iSCSI2, iSCSI1
List ARP table:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network ip neighbor list
Neighbor Mac Address Vmknic Expiry State Type
------------- ----------------- ------ -------- ----- -------
172.16.1.1 a4:53:0e:b7:91:bc vmk0 1129 sec Unknown
192.168.100.1 00:c0:ff:18:5b:fc vmk2 377 sec Unknown
192.168.100.2 00:c0:ff:18:b5:76 vmk2 752 sec Unknown
192.168.200.1 00:c0:ff:18:4f:7e vmk3 596 sec Unknown
192.168.200.2 00:c0:ff:18:62:ba vmk3 483 sec Unknown
List routing table:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network ip route ipv4 list
Network Netmask Gateway Interface Source
------------- --------------- ----------- --------- ------
default 0.0.0.0 172.16.1.1 vmk0 MANUAL
10.250.0.0 255.255.0.0 0.0.0.0 vmk0 MANUAL
192.168.100.0 255.255.255.0 0.0.0.0 vmk2 MANUAL
192.168.200.0 255.255.255.0 0.0.0.0 vmk3 MANUAL
192.255.254.0 255.255.255.224 0.0.0.0 vmk1 MANUAL
List network interfaces:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network ip interface list
vmk0
Name: vmk0
MAC Address: 2c:76:8a:5d:d3:d4
Enabled: true
Portset: vSwitch0
Portgroup: Management Network
Netstack Instance: defaultTcpipStack
VDS Name: N/A
VDS UUID: N/A
VDS Port: N/A
VDS Connection: -1
Opaque Network ID: N/A
Opaque Network Type: N/A
External ID: N/A
MTU: 1500
TSO MSS: 65535
RXDispQueue Size: 1
Port ID: 33554438
<------------------------------SNIP------------------------------>
List network interfaces with IP addresses:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli network ip interface ipv4 get
Name IPv4 Address IPv4 Netmask IPv4 Broadcast Address Type Gateway DHCP DNS
---- --------------- --------------- --------------- ------------ ----------- --------
vmk0 172.16.1.12 255.255.0.0 10.250.255.255 STATIC 172.16.1.1 false
vmk1 192.255.254.11 255.255.255.224 192.255.254.31 STATIC 0.0.0.0 false
vmk2 192.168.100.111 255.255.255.0 192.168.100.255 STATIC 0.0.0.0 false
vmk3 192.168.200.111 255.255.255.0 192.168.200.255 STATIC 0.0.0.0 false
List VMkernel errors and their meaning when working with VM’s:
[root@esxi-01:~] vmkerrcode -l
VMK_ReturnStatus table for VMware ESX Server, Build #130756
Name Dec Hex errno equiv Description
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VMK_OK 0 0 OK Success
VMK_FAILURE 195887105 0xbad0001 EINVAL Failure
VMK_WOULD_BLOCK 195887106 0xbad0002 EAGAIN Would block
VMK_NOT_FOUND 195887107 0xbad0003 ENOENT Not found
VMK_BUSY 195887108 0xbad0004 EBUSY Busy
VMK_EXISTS 195887109 0xbad0005 EEXIST Already exists
VMK_LIMIT_EXCEEDED 195887110 0xbad0006 EFBIG Limit exceeded
VMK_BAD_PARAM 195887111 0xbad0007 EINVAL Bad parameter
VMK_METADATA_READ_ERROR 195887112 0xbad0008 EIO Metadata read error
VMK_METADATA_WRITE_ERROR 195887113 0xbad0009 EIO Metadata write error
VMK_IO_ERROR 195887114 0xbad000a EIO I/O error
VMK_READ_ERROR 195887115 0xbad000b EIO Read error
VMK_WRITE_ERROR 195887116 0xbad000c EIO Write error
<------------------------------SNIP------------------------------>
Drop into maintenance mode:
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli system maintenanceMode get
Disabled
[root@esxi-01:~] esxcli system maintenanceMode set --enable true