How to Rename a VMware ESX or ESXi

To rename a VMware ESX host:

1. If the ESX host is part of a cluster, remove it from the cluster by dragging it out of the cluster.
2. If the ESX host is managed by VirtualCenter/vCenter, disconnect and remove the ESX host from the vCenter.
3. Make the modifications in your DNS environment to reflect the correct name and IP association for the new name.
4. Log in as root to the console of ESX host.
5. Using a text editor, change the name and domain name, if applicable, of the host in these files:
   
   
   • /etc/hosts
   • /etc/sysconfig/network
6. Run this command:
   
   esxcfg-advcfg -s hostname /Misc/hostname
   where hostname is the new FQDN hostname for the ESX host.

7. Reboot the ESX host.
8. Join the ESX host to VirtualCenter/vCenter Server and clusters.

To rename a VMware ESXi host:

1. If the ESXi host is part of a cluster, remove it from the cluster by entering Maintenance mode first.
2. If the ESXi host is managed by VirtualCenter/vCenter Server, disconnect and remove the ESXi host from the vCenter Server.
3. Connect to the host directly with a vSphere Client.
4. Click ESXi host.
5. Click the Configuration tab.
6. Click DNS and Routing.
7. Click  Properties.
8. Edit the Name field in the DNS Configuration tab. Change anything else that is necessary in your environment.
9. Click OK.
10. Join the ESX host to VirtualCenter/vCenter Server and clusters.

To change the host name in ESXi 5.x using the command line, use these commands:

• esxcli system hostname set --host=hostname
• esxcli system hostname set --fqdn= fqdn