Upgrading to VMware vSphere 7.0.3: Removing Dependent VIBs for a Successful Update

As an IT professional, I have recently faced a situation where I had to update my ESXi hosts from version 6.7 to version 7.0.3. However, during the preparation process, I encountered a roadblock due to the presence of dependent VIBs (Virtual Instrumentation Bus) that were preventing me from proceeding with the update. In this blog post, I will share my experience and the steps I took to resolve the issue and successfully upgrade to VMware vSphere 7.0.3.

Background and Challenges

As part of our infrastructure maintenance and upgrade plan, we decided to upgrade our ESXi hosts from version 6.7 to version 7.0.3. This update was necessary to take advantage of the latest features and improvements in VMware vSphere, as well as to ensure compatibility with our other infrastructure components.

However, during the preparation process, I noticed that some of the VIBs installed on the ESXi hosts had dependencies that were preventing me from removing them. These dependent VIBs were associated with an incorrect installation of NSX, which was previously uninstalled but left behind residual components that were causing conflicts.

Solution and Steps to Resolve the Issue

To overcome this challenge, I followed these steps:

Step 1: Identify the Dependent VIBs

Using the following command in SSH with root privileges, I listed all the installed VIBs on the ESXi host:

“`

# esxcli software vib list

“`

This command displayed a list of all the installed VIBs, including the dependent ones that were preventing me from proceeding with the update. In my case, the dependent VIB was identified as “esx-nsxv”.

Step 2: Remove the Dependent VIB

Using the following command, I removed the dependent VIB:

“`

# esxcli software vib remove -n esx-nsxv

“`

This command successfully removed the dependent VIB, and I was able to proceed with the update process.

Step 3: Upgrade to VMware vSphere 7.0.3

After removing the dependent VIB, I used LifeCircle Manager to upgrade the ESXi hosts to version 7.0.3. The upgrade process completed successfully, and the hosts were upgraded without any further issues.

Conclusion and Best Practices

In conclusion, updating to VMware vSphere 7.0.3 can be a challenging task, especially when dependent VIBs are present. However, by following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can successfully remove these dependent VIBs and upgrade to the latest version of vSphere.

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when upgrading to VMware vSphere 7.0.3:

1. Always use SSH with root privileges when working with ESXi hosts.

2. Identify any dependent VIBs before attempting to remove them.

3. Use the correct commands to remove dependent VIBs, such as “esxcli software vib remove -n [VIB name]”.

4. Repeat the removal process for all dependent VIBs until none are left.

5. Upgrade to VMware vSphere 7.0.3 using LifeCircle Manager after removing all dependent VIBs.

I hope this blog post has been helpful in addressing the challenges of upgrading to VMware vSphere 7.0.3. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them in the section below. Thank you for reading!