VMware Esxcfg commands

Esxcfg-firewall
Description: Configures the service console firewall ports
Syntax: esxcfg-firewall <options>

Options:

-q	Lists current settings
-q <service>	Lists settings for the specified service
-q incoming|outgoing	Lists settings for non-required incoming/outgoing ports
-s	Lists known services
-l	Loads current settings
-r	Resets all options to defaults
-e <service>	Allows specified service through the firewall (enables)
-d <service>	Blocks specified service (disables)
-o <port, tcp|udp,in|out,name>	Opens a port
-c <port, tcp|udp,in|out>	Closes a port previously opened by –o
-h	Displays command help
-allowincoming	Allow all incoming ports
-allowoutgoing	Allow all outgoing ports
-blockincoming	Block all non-required incoming ports (default value)
-blockoutgoing	Block all non-required outgoing ports (default value)

Default Services:

AAMClient	Added by the vpxa RPM: Traffic between ESX Server hosts for VMware High Availability (HA) and EMC Autostart Manager – inbound and outbound TCP and UDP Ports 2050 – 5000 and 8042 – 8045
activeDirectorKerberos	Active Directory Kerberos - outbound TCPs Port 88 and 464
CIMHttpServer	First-party optional service: CIM HTTP Server - inbound TCP Port 5988
CIMHttpsServer	First-party optional service: CIM HTTPS Server - inbound TCP Port 5989
CIMSLP	First-party optional service: CIM SLP - inbound and outbound TCP and UDP Ports 427
commvaultDynamic	Backup agent: Commvault dynamic – inbound and outbound TCP Ports 8600 – 8619
commvaultStatic	Backup agent: Commvault static – inbound and outbound TCP Ports 8400 – 8403
ftpClient	FTP client - outbound TCP Port 21
ftpServer	FTP server - inbound TCP Port 21
kerberos	Kerberos - outbound TCPs Port 88 and 749
LicenseClient	FlexLM license server client - outbound TCP Ports 27000 and 27010
nfsClient	NFS client - outbound TCP and UDP Ports 111 and 2049 (0 – 65535)
nisClient	NIS client - outbound TCP and UDP Ports 111 (0 – 65535)
ntpClient	NTP client - outbound UDP Port 123
smbClient	SMB client - outbound TCP Ports 137 – 139 and 445
snmpd	SNMP services - inbound TCP Port 161 and outbound TCP Port 162
sshClient	SSH client - outbound TCP Port 22
sshServer	SSH server - inbound TCP Port 22
swISCSIClient	First-party optional service: Software iSCSI client - outbound TCP Port 3260
telnetClient	NTP client - outbound TCP Port 23
TSM	Backup agent: IBM Tivoli Storage Manager – inbound and outbound TCP Ports 1500
veritasBackupExec	Backup agent: Veritas BackupExec – inbound TCP Ports 10000 – 10200
veritasNetBackup	Backup agent: Veritas NetBackup – inbound TCP Ports 13720, 13732, 13734, and 13783
vncServer	VNC server - Allow VNC sessions 0-64: inbound TCP Ports 5900 – 5964
vpxHeartbeats	vpx heartbeats - outbound UDP Port 902

Note: You can configure your own services in the file /etc/vmware/firewall/services.xml

esxcfg-firewall examples:
Enable ssh client connections from the Service Console:
# esxcfg-firewall -e sshClient
Disable the Samba client connections:
# esxcfg-firewall -d smbClient
Allow syslog outgoing traffic:
# esxcfg-firewall -o 514,udp,out,syslog
Turn off the firewall:
# esxcfg-firewall -allowIncoming
# esxcfg-firewall -allowOutgoing
Re-enable the firewall:
# esxcfg-firewall -blockIncoming
# esxcfg-firewall –blockOutgoing


Esxcfg-nics
Description: Prints a list of physical network adapters along with information on the driver, PCI device, and link state of each NIC. You can also use this command to control a physical network adapter's speed and duplexing.
Syntax: esxcfg-nics <options> [nic]

Options:

-s <speed>	Set the speed of this NIC to one of 10/100/1000/10000. Requires a NIC parameter.
-d <duplex>	Set the duplex of this NIC to one of 'full' or 'half'. Requires a NIC parameter.
-a	Set speed and duplex automatically. Requires a NIC parameter.
-l	Print the list of NICs and their settings.
-r	Restore the NICs configured speed/duplex settings. (Internal use only)
-h	Displays command help

esxcfg-nics examples:
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 auto-negotiate:
esxcfg-nics -a vmnic2


Esxcfg-vswitch
Description: Creates and updates virtual machine (vswitch) network settings
Syntax: esxcfg-vswitch <options> [vswitch[:ports]]

Options:

-a	Add a new virtual switch.
-d	Delete the virtual switch.
-l	List all the virtual switches.
-L <pnic>	Set pnic as an uplink for the vswitch.
-U <pnic>	Remove pnic from the uplinks for the vswitch.
-p <portgroup>	Specify a portgroup for operation. Use ALL for operation to work on all portgroups
-v <vlan id>	Set VLAN ID for portgroup specified by -p. 0 would disable the VLAN.
-c	Check to see if a virtual switch exists. Program outputs a 1 if it exists, 0 otherwise.
-A <name>	Add a new portgroup to the virtual switch.
-D <name>	Delete the portgroup from the virtual switch.
-C <name>	Check to see if a portgroup exists. Program outputs a 1 if it exists, 0 otherwise.
-r	Restore all virtual switches from the configuration file (Internal use only)
-h	Displays command help

esxcfg-vswitch examples:
Add a pnic (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 portgroup (VM Network3) on a vswitch (vswitch1):
esxcfg-vswitch -A "VM Network 3" vSwitch1
Assign a VLAN ID (3) to a portgroup (VM Network 3) on a vswitch (vswitch1):
esxcfg-vswitch -v 3 -p "VM Network 3" vSwitch1


Esxcfg-vswif
Description: Creates and updates service console network settings. This command is used if you cannot manage the ESX Server host through the VI Client because of network configuration issues.
Syntax: esxcfg-vswif <options> [vswif]

Options:

-a	Add vswif, requires IP parameters. Automatically enables interface.
-d	Delete vswif.
-l	List configured vswifs.
-e	Enable this vswif interface.
-s	Disable this vswif interface.
-p	Set the portgroup name of the vswif.
-i <x.x.x.x> or DHCP	The IP address for this vswif or specify DHCP to use DHCP for this address.
-n <x.x.x.x>	The IP netmask for this vswif.
-b <x.x.x.x>	The IP broadcast address for this vswif. (not required if netmask and ip are set)
-c	Check to see if a virtual NIC exists. Program outputs a 1 if the given vswif exists, 0 otherwise.
-D	Disable all vswif interfaces. (WARNING: This may result in a loss of network connectivity to the Service Console)
-E	Enable all vswif interfaces and bring them up.
-r	Restore all vswifs from the configuration file. (Internal use only)
-h	Displays command help.

Note: You can set the Service Console default gateway by editing the /etc/sysconfig/network file or through the VI Client under Configuration, DNS & Routing.

esxcfg-vswif examples:
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


Esxcfg-route
Description: Sets or retrieves the default VMkernel gateway route
Syntax: esxcfg-route <options> [<network> [<netmask>] <gateway>]
<network> can be specified in 2 ways: as a single argument in <network>/<mask> format or as a <network> <netmask> pair.
<gateway> is either an IP address or 'default'

Options:

-a	Add route to the VMkernel, requires network address (or 'default') and gateway IP address.
-d	Delete route from the VMkernel, requires network address (or 'default').
-l	List configured routes for the Service Console.
-r	Restore route setting to configured values on system start. (Internal use only)
-h	Displays command help

esxcfg-route examples:
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
Description: Creates and updates VMkernel TCP/IP settings for VMotion, NAS, and iSCSI
Syntax: esxcfg-vmknic <options> [[portgroup]]

Options:

-a	Add a VMkernel NIC to the system, requires IP parameters and portgroup name.
-d	Delete VMkernel NIC on given portgroup.
-e	Enable the given NIC if disabled.
-D	Disable the given NIC if enabled.
-l	List VMkernel NICs.
-i <x.x.x.x>	The IP address for this VMkernel NIC. Setting an IP address requires that the -n option be given in same command.
-n <x.x.x.x>	The IP netmask for this VMkernel NIC. Setting the IP netmask requires that the -i option be given in the same command.
-r	Restore VMkernel TCP/IP interfaces from configuration file. (Internal use only)
-h	Displays command help

esxcfg-vmknic examples:
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