Using the ESXCLI interface in ESXi 5 allows you to manage many host operations, and can be very useful in troubleshooting situations. All the ESXCLI commands use the same structure.
esxcli [dispatcher options] <namespace> [<namespace> …] <cmd> [cmd options]
As stated on VMware’s website, the commands are broken down as follows
- dispatcher options. Predefined options for connection information such as target host, user name, and so on. See Common Options for vCLI Execution. Not required when you run the command in the ESXi Shell.
- namespace. Groups ESXCLI commands. vSphere 5.0 supports nested namespaces.
- command. Reports on or modifies state on the system.
List of ESXCLI Commands
ESXCLI Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| esxcli.command | list |
ESXCLI FCOE Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| fcoe.adapter | list |
| fcoe.nic | disable |
| fcoe.nic | discover |
| fcoe.nic | list |
ESXCLI Hardware Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| hardware.bootdevice | list |
| hardware.clock | get |
| hardware.clock | set |
| hardware.cpu.cpuid | get |
| hardware.cpu.global | get |
| hardware.cpu.global | set |
| hardware.cpu | list |
| hardware.memory | get |
| hardware.pci | list |
| hardware.platform | get |
ESXCLI iSCSI Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| iscsi.adapter.auth.chap | get |
| iscsi.adapter.auth.chap | set |
| iscsi.adapter.capabilities | get |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery | rediscover |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget | add |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget.auth.chap | get |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget.auth.chap | set |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget | list |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget.param | get |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget.param | set |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.sendtarget | remove |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.statictarget | add |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.statictarget | list |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.statictarget | remove |
| iscsi.adapter.discovery.status | get |
| iscsi.adapter.firmware | get |
| iscsi.adapter.firmware | set |
| iscsi.adapter | get |
| iscsi.adapter | list |
| iscsi.adapter.param | get |
| iscsi.adapter.param | set |
| iscsi.adapter | set |
| iscsi.adapter.target | list |
| iscsi.adapter.target.portal.auth.chap | get |
| iscsi.adapter.target.portal.auth.chap | set |
| iscsi.adapter.target.portal | list |
| iscsi.adapter.target.portal.param | get |
| iscsi.adapter.target.portal.param | set |
| iscsi.ibftboot | get |
| iscsi.ibftboot | import |
| iscsi.logicalnetworkportal | list |
| iscsi.networkportal | add |
| iscsi.networkportal.ipconfig | get |
| iscsi.networkportal.ipconfig | set |
| iscsi.networkportal | list |
| iscsi.networkportal | remove |
| iscsi.physicalnetworkportal | list |
| iscsi.physicalnetworkportal.param | get |
| iscsi.physicalnetworkportal.param | set |
| iscsi.plugin | list |
| iscsi.session | add |
| iscsi.session.connection | list |
| iscsi.session | list |
| iscsi.session | remove |
| iscsi.software | get |
| iscsi.software | set |
ESXCLI Network Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| network.fence | list |
| network.fence.network.bte | list |
| network.fence.network | list |
| network.fence.network.port | list |
| network.firewall | get |
| network.firewall | load |
| network.firewall | refresh |
| network.firewall.ruleset.allowedip | add |
| network.firewall.ruleset.allowedip | list |
| network.firewall.ruleset.allowedip | remove |
| network.firewall.ruleset | list |
| network.firewall.ruleset.rule | list |
| network.firewall.ruleset | set |
| network.firewall | set |
| network.firewall | unload |
| network.ip.connection | list |
| network.ip.dns.search | add |
| network.ip.dns.search | list |
| network.ip.dns.search | remove |
| network.ip.dns.server | add |
| network.ip.dns.server | list |
| network.ip.dns.server | remove |
| network.ip | get |
| network.ip.interface | add |
| network.ip.interface.ipv4 | get |
| network.ip.interface.ipv4 | set |
| network.ip.interface.ipv6.address | add |
| network.ip.interface.ipv6.address | list |
| network.ip.interface.ipv6.address | remove |
| network.ip.interface.ipv6 | get |
| network.ip.interface.ipv6 | set |
| network.ip.interface | list |
| network.ip.interface | remove |
| network.ip.interface | set |
| network.ip.neighbor | list |
| network.ip | set |
| network.nic | down |
| network.nic | get |
| network.nic | list |
| network.nic | set |
| network.nic | up |
| network.vswitch.dvs.vmware | list |
| network.vswitch.standard | add |
| network.vswitch.standard | list |
| network.vswitch.standard.policy.failover | get |
| network.vswitch.standard.policy.failover | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.policy.security | get |
| network.vswitch.standard.policy.security | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.policy.shaping | get |
| network.vswitch.standard.policy.shaping | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup | add |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup | list |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup.policy.failover | get |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup.policy.failover | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup.policy.security | get |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup.policy.security | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup.policy.shaping | get |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup.policy.shaping | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup | remove |
| network.vswitch.standard.portgroup | set |
| network.vswitch.standard | remove |
| network.vswitch.standard | set |
| network.vswitch.standard.uplink | add |
| network.vswitch.standard.uplink | remove |
ESXCLI Software Namespace
| software.acceptance | get |
| software.acceptance | set |
| software.profile | get |
| software.profile | install |
| software.profile | update |
| software.profile | validate |
| software.sources.profile | get |
| software.sources.profile | list |
| software.sources.vib | get |
| software.sources.vib | list |
| software.vib | get |
| software.vib | install |
| software.vib | list |
| software.vib | remove |
| software.vib | update |
ESXCLI Storage Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| storage.core.adapter | list |
| storage.core.adapter | rescan |
| storage.core.adapter.stats | get |
| storage.core.claiming | autoclaim |
| storage.core.claiming | reclaim |
| storage.core.claiming | unclaim |
| storage.core.claimrule | add |
| storage.core.claimrule | convert |
| storage.core.claimrule | list |
| storage.core.claimrule | load |
| storage.core.claimrule | move |
| storage.core.claimrule | remove |
| storage.core.claimrule | run |
| storage.core.device.detached | list |
| storage.core.device.detached | remove |
| storage.core.device | list |
| storage.core.device.partition | list |
| storage.core.device | set |
| storage.core.device | setconfig |
| storage.core.device.stats | get |
| storage.core.device.vaai.status | get |
| storage.core.device.world | list |
| storage.core.path | list |
| storage.core.path | set |
| storage.core.path.stats | get |
| storage.core.plugin | list |
| storage.core.plugin.registration | add |
| storage.core.plugin.registration | list |
| storage.core.plugin.registration | remove |
| storage.filesystem | automount |
| storage.filesystem | list |
| storage.filesystem | mount |
| storage.filesystem | rescan |
| storage.filesystem | unmount |
| storage.nfs | add |
| storage.nfs | list |
| storage.nfs | remove |
| storage.nmp.device | list |
| storage.nmp.device | set |
| storage.nmp.path | list |
| storage.nmp.psp.fixed.deviceconfig | get |
| storage.nmp.psp.fixed.deviceconfig | set |
| storage.nmp.psp.generic.deviceconfig | get |
| storage.nmp.psp.generic.deviceconfig | set |
| storage.nmp.psp.generic.pathconfig | get |
| storage.nmp.psp.generic.pathconfig | set |
| storage.nmp.psp | list |
| storage.nmp.psp.roundrobin.deviceconfig | get |
| storage.nmp.psp.roundrobin.deviceconfig | set |
| storage.nmp.satp.generic.deviceconfig | get |
| storage.nmp.satp.generic.deviceconfig | set |
| storage.nmp.satp.generic.pathconfig | get |
| storage.nmp.satp.generic.pathconfig | set |
| storage.nmp.satp | list |
| storage.nmp.satp.rule | add |
| storage.nmp.satp.rule | list |
| storage.nmp.satp.rule | remove |
| storage.nmp.satp | set |
| storage.vmfs.extent | list |
| storage.vmfs.snapshot.extent | list |
| storage.vmfs.snapshot | list |
| storage.vmfs.snapshot | mount |
| storage.vmfs.snapshot | resignature |
| storage.vmfs | upgrade |
ESXCLI System Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| system.boot.device | get |
| system.coredump.network | get |
| system.coredump.network | set |
| system.coredump.partition | get |
| system.coredump.partition | list |
| system.coredump.partition | set |
| system.hostname | get |
| system.hostname | set |
| system.module | get |
| system.module | list |
| system.module | load |
| system.module.parameters | list |
| system.module.parameters | set |
| system.module | set |
| system.process | list |
| system.process.stats.load | get |
| system.process.stats.running | get |
| system.secpolicy.domain | list |
| system.secpolicy.domain | set |
| system.settings.advanced | list |
| system.settings.advanced | set |
| system.settings.kernel | list |
| system.settings.kernel | set |
| system.settings.keyboard.layout | get |
| system.settings.keyboard.layout | list |
| system.settings.keyboard.layout | set |
| system.stats.uptime | get |
| system.syslog.config | get |
| system.syslog.config.logger | list |
| system.syslog.config.logger | set |
| system.syslog.config | set |
| system.syslog | mark |
| system.syslog | reload |
| system.time | get |
| system.time | set |
| system.uuid | get |
| system.version | get |
| system.visorfs | get |
| system.visorfs.ramdisk | add |
| system.visorfs.ramdisk | list |
| system.visorfs.ramdisk | remove |
| system.visorfs.tardisk | list |
| system.welcomemsg | get |
| system.welcomemsg | set |
ESXCLI VM Namespace
| Namespace | Command |
| vm.process | kill |
| vm.process | list |
You can see some examples of tasks using the ESXCLI VM namespace here.
Useful Links and Resources
VMware Command Line Reference – https://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/index.jsp#com.vmware.vcli.ref.doc_50/vcli-right.html