Maintaining a "patched" HPE Custom Image for ESXi ensures your infrastructure is secure, performant, and supported. By leveraging the tailored ISOs provided by HPE and aligning them with the SPP, you minimize risk and optimize hardware-to-software integration.
vSphere Lifecycle Manager (formerly Update Manager) is the gold standard for maintaining patched states across clusters.
Mastering HPE Custom Images for ESXi: Deploying, Patching, and Maintaining Enterprise Hosts
vLCM is the modern, declarative approach recommended by both VMware and HPE for patching and upgrading ESXi hosts. A vLCM desired state image consists of the ESXi version (required), a vendor Add-On (optional), and a firmware and drivers Add-On (optional). Using HPE Add-Ons ensures that the HPE-specific components (VIBs) are preserved and updated correctly alongside VMware security patches. hpe custom image for esxi patched
Patch delivery methods
If using vLCM Images (vSphere 7/8), define the base ESXi version and select the corresponding . vLCM will automatically calculate the dependencies and ensure no drivers conflict.
(ZIP file) from VMware Customer Connect. Upload the ZIP to an accessible datastore. Put the host in Maintenance Mode. Run the following command to apply the patch: Maintaining a "patched" HPE Custom Image for ESXi
Here are the two safest methods to patch your HPE ESXi hosts.
: Critical for hardware stability and performance.
A significant shift is also occurring with HPE Synergy. Beginning with HPE Synergy Service Pack (SSP) 2026.01.xx, HPE no longer provides Synergy-specific ESXi custom ISO images. Customers should use the VMware base ESXi image and apply HPE-supported components delivered through the HPE SSP. While VMware ESXi patches and security updates obtained directly from VMware may be installed on HPE Synergy systems, they are supported only if they do not cross a VMware ESXi "update" boundary (for example, 8.0 Update 2 to 8.0 Update 3) or introduce drivers that conflict with the supported HPE Synergy software release. Mastering HPE Custom Images for ESXi: Deploying, Patching,
An HPE Customized VMware ESXi image is a standard VMware ESXi ISO that has been updated to include certified HPE drivers and utilities. By using this, you ensure that your hardware components—such as storage controllers (Smart Array), network cards (FlexFabric), and management controllers (iLO)—operate at peak efficiency and compatibility. Why Use a "Patched" HPE Custom Image?
: Download the latest patched HPE Custom ISO and import it into VUM.
: Custom images include agents that feed data into HPE iLO for proactive hardware logging.