List packages installed in ESXi 4.1 and 5.0

Today a co-worker has asked me how to list the packages installed in an ESXi 4.1 Update 1 server, in the ESX COS we had the RedHat rpm command but in ESXi there is no rpm and of course there is no COS.

His intention was to look for the version of the qla2xxx driver and my first thought was to use vmkload_mod, the problem is that with this command you can get the version of a driver already loaded by the VMkernel and we wanted to look for the version of a driver installed but no loaded.

I tried esxupdate with no luck.

~ # esxupdate query
----Bulletin ID----- -----Installed----- --------------Summary---------------
ESXi410-201101223-UG 2011-01-13T05:09:39 3w-9xxx: scsi driver for VMware ESXi
ESXi410-201101224-UG 2011-01-13T05:09:39 vxge: net driver for VMware ESXi    
~ #

Then I suddenly thought that the ESXi Tech Support Mode is based on Busybox. If you have ever use a Busybox environment, like a QNAP NAS, you will probably remember that the way to install new software over the network is with ipkg command and to list the software packages already installed the syntax is ipkg list_installed.

~ # ipkg list_installed
emulex-cim-provider - 410.2.0.32.1-207424 -
lsi-provider - 410.04.V0.24-140815 -
qlogic-fchba-provider - 400.1.1.8-140815 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-libata - 400.2.00.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-amd - 400.0.2.4.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-atiixp - 400.0.4.3.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-cmd64x - 400.0.2.1.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-hpt3x2n - 400.0.3.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-pdc2027x - 400.0.74ac5.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-serverworks - 400.0.3.7.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-sil680 - 400.0.3.2.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ata-pata-via - 400.0.1.14.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-block-cciss - 400.3.6.14.10.1-2vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-char-hpcru - 400.1.1.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-char-pseudo-char-dev - 400.0.0.1.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-char-random - 400.1.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-char-tpm-tis - 400.0.0.1.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ehci-ehci-hcd - 400.1.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-hid-hid - 400.2.6.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ioat-ioat - 400.2.15.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ipmi-ipmi-devintf - 400.39.2.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ipmi-ipmi-msghandler - 400.39.2.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ipmi-ipmi-si-drv - 400.39.2.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-bnx2 - 400.2.0.7d-3vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-bnx2x - 400.1.54.1.v41.1-2vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-cdc-ether - 400.1.0.0.1-2vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-cnic - 400.1.9.7d.rc2.3.1-2vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-e1000 - 400.8.0.3.2-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-e1000e - 400.1.1.2.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-enic - 400.1.4.0.261-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-forcedeth - 400.0.61.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-igb - 400.1.3.19.12.2-2vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-ixgbe - 400.2.0.38.2.5.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-nx-nic - 400.4.0.550.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-s2io - 400.2.1.4.13427.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-sky2 - 400.1.20-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-tg3 - 400.3.86.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-net-usbnet - 400.1.0.0.1-2vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-ohci-usb-ohci - 400.1.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-sata-ahci - 400.2.0.0.1-5vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-sata-ata-piix - 400.2.00ac6.1-3vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-sata-sata-nv - 400.2.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-sata-sata-promise - 400.1.04.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-sata-sata-sil - 400.2.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-sata-sata-svw - 400.2.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-aacraid - 400.4.1.1.5.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-adp94xx - 400.1.0.8.12.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-aic79xx - 400.3.2.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-bnx2i - 400.1.8.11t5.rc2.8.1-4vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-fnic - 400.1.1.0.113.2-4vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-hpsa - 400.3.6.14.45-4vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-ips - 400.7.12.06.1-3vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-iscsi-linux - 400.1.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-lpfc820 - 400.8.2.1.30.1-58vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-megaraid-mbox - 400.2.20.5.1.4-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-megaraid-sas - 400.4.0.14.1-18vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-megaraid2 - 400.2.00.4.1-4vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-mpt2sas - 400.04.255.03.00.1-6vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-mptsas - 400.4.21.00.01.1-6vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-mptspi - 400.4.21.00.01.1-6vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-qla2xxx - 400.831.k1.28.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-qla4xxx - 400.5.01.03.1-10vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-scsi-sample-iscsi - 400.1.0.0-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-uhci-usb-uhci - 400.3.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-usb-storage-usb-storage - 400.1.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-usbcore-usb - 400.1.0.0.1-1vmw.1.4.348481 -
vmware-esx-drivers-vmklinux-vmklinux - 4.1.0-1.4.348481 -
Successfully terminated.
~ #

There you are! There is one gotcha to get the version, it starts just after the 400.

Next task of course was to do the same in ESXi 5.0.

~ # ipkg list_installed
-sh: ipkg: not found
~ #

Ouch! ipkg has been removed from ESXi 5.0. The key to get the same list is esxcli.

~ # esxcli software vib list
Name                  Version                             Vendor  Acceptance Level  Install Date
--------------------  ----------------------------------  ------  ----------------  ------------
ata-pata-amd          0.3.10-3vmw.500.0.0.469512          VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-atiixp       0.4.6-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-cmd64x       0.2.5-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-hpt3x2n      0.3.4-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-pdc2027x     1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-serverworks  0.4.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-sil680       0.4.8-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ata-pata-via          0.3.3-2vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
block-cciss           3.6.14-10vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ehci-ehci-hcd         1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
esx-base              5.0.0-0.0.469512                    VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
esx-tboot             5.0.0-0.0.469512                    VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ima-qla4xxx           2.01.07-1vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ipmi-ipmi-devintf     39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ipmi-ipmi-msghandler  39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ipmi-ipmi-si-drv      39.1-4vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
misc-cnic-register    1.1-1vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
misc-drivers          5.0.0-0.0.469512                    VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-be2net            4.0.88.0-1vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-bnx2              2.0.15g.v50.11-5vmw.500.0.0.469512  VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-bnx2x             1.61.15.v50.1-1vmw.500.0.0.469512   VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-cnic              1.10.2j.v50.7-2vmw.500.0.0.469512   VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-e1000             8.0.3.1-2vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-e1000e            1.1.2-3vmw.500.0.0.469512           VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-enic              1.4.2.15a-1vmw.500.0.0.469512       VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-forcedeth         0.61-2vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-igb               2.1.11.1-3vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-ixgbe             2.0.84.8.2-10vmw.500.0.0.469512     VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-nx-nic            4.0.557-3vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-r8168             8.013.00-3vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-r8169             6.011.00-2vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-s2io              2.1.4.13427-3vmw.500.0.0.469512     VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-sky2              1.20-2vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
net-tg3               3.110h.v50.4-4vmw.500.0.0.469512    VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
ohci-usb-ohci         1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
sata-ahci             3.0-6vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
sata-ata-piix         2.12-4vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
sata-sata-nv          3.5-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
sata-sata-promise     2.12-3vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
sata-sata-sil         2.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
sata-sata-svw         2.3-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-aacraid          1.1.5.1-9vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-adp94xx          1.0.8.12-6vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-aic79xx          3.1-5vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-bnx2i            1.9.1d.v50.1-3vmw.500.0.0.469512    VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-fnic             1.5.0.3-1vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-hpsa             5.0.0-17vmw.500.0.0.469512          VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-ips              7.12.05-4vmw.500.0.0.469512         VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-lpfc820          8.2.2.1-18vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-megaraid-mbox    2.20.5.1-6vmw.500.0.0.469512        VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-megaraid-sas     4.32-1vmw.500.0.0.469512            VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-megaraid2        2.00.4-9vmw.500.0.0.469512          VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-mpt2sas          06.00.00.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512     VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-mptsas           4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512      VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-mptspi           4.23.01.00-5vmw.500.0.0.469512      VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-qla2xxx          901.k1.1-14vmw.500.0.0.469512       VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
scsi-qla4xxx          5.01.03.2-3vmw.500.0.0.469512       VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
uhci-usb-uhci         1.0-3vmw.500.0.0.469512             VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
tools-light           5.0.0-0.0.469512                    VMware  VMwareCertified   2011-09-07 
~ #

A final thought for all of you starting with vSphere 5, esxcli is the key in ESXi 5.0 shell.

Juanma.