Some useful ESXi troubleshooting commands

Basic commands
===================
vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
Lists all vm's running on hypervisor and provides vmid

vim-cmd vmsvc/power.off vmid
Powers off vmid referenced from getallvms command

vim-cmd vmsvc/power.on vmid
Powers off vmid referenced from getallvms command

vim-cmd vmsvc/power.reboot vmid
Reboots vmid referenced from getallvms command

vim-cmd vmsvc/destroy vmid
Deletes the vmdk and vmx files from disk

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter
Puts hypervisor into maintenance mode

vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit
Takes hypervisor out of maintenance mode

vim-cmd solo/registervm /vmfs/vol/datastore/dir/vm.vmx
Registers vm in hypervisor inventory

vim-cmd vmsvc/unregister vmid
Unregisters vm with hypervisor

vim-cmd vmsvc/tools.install vmid
Starts vmware tools installation for VM

vim-cmd hostsvc/net/info
Provides information about hypervisor networking

chkconfig -l
Shows daemons running on hypervisor. Can also be used for configuration.

esxtop
Same as linux top for vmware

vmkerrcode -l
List of vmkernel errors

esxcfg-info
Lists a LOT of information about the esx host

esxcfg-nics -l
Lists information about NIC's. Can also be used for configuration.

esxcfg-vswitch -l
Lists information about virtual switching. Can also be used for configuration.

dcui
Provides console screen to ssh session

vsish
Vmware interactive shell

decodeSel /var/log/ipmi_sel.raw
Read System Event Log of server


==========================
Network troubleshooting
==========================

esxcfg-nics -l to display NIC information and esxcfg-nics -h to display available options for this command

Set the speed and duplex of a NIC (vmnic2) to 100/Full:
esxcfg-nics -s 100 -d full vmnic2

Set the speed and duplex of a NIC (vmnic2) to autonegotiate:
esxcfg-nics -a vmnic2


esxcfg-vswif -l to display current settings and esxcfg-vswif -h to display all available options for changing settings.

Change your Service Console (vswif0) IP and subnet mask:
esxcfg-vswif -i 172.20.20.5 -n 255.255.255.0 vswif0

Add a Service Console (vswif0):
esxcfg-vswif -a vswif0 -p “Service Console” -i 172.20.20.40 -n 255.255.255.0

Type esxcfg-vswitch -l to display current vSwitch configurations and esxcfg-vswitch -h to display all available options for changing settings

Add a physical NIC (vmnic2) to a vSwitch (vSwitch1):
esxcfg-vswitch -L vmnic2 vswitch1

Remove a pNIC (vmnic3) from a vSwitch (vSwitch0):
esxcfg-vswitch -U vmnic3 vswitch0

Create a port group (VM Network3) on a vSwitch (vSwitch1):
esxcfg-vswitch -A “VM Network 3” vSwitch1

Assign a VLAN ID (3) to a port group (VM Network 3) on a vSwitch (vSwitch1):
esxcfg-vswitch -v 3 -p “VM Network 3” vSwitch1

esxcfg-route Sets or retrieves the default VMkernel gateway route.

Type esxcfg-route -l to display current routes and esxcfg-route -h to display all available options for
changing settings

Set the VMkernel default gateway route:
esxcfg-route 172.20.20.1

Add a route to the VMkernel:
esxcfg-route -a default 255.255.255.0 172.20.20.1

esxcfg-vmknic Creates and updates VMkernel TCP/IP settings for VMotion, NAS and iSCSI.

Type esxcfg-vmknic -l to display VMkernel NICs and esxcfg-vmknic -h to display all available options for

changing settings.

Add a VMkernel NIC and set the IP and subnet mask:
esxcfg-vmknic -a “VM Kernel” -i 172.20.20.19 -n 255.255.255.0

service network restart