How to create custom ESXi image

In this article, I will show you how to create a custom esxi image with PowerShell

You will need 15 minutes to follow these steps:

$vcenter = Read-Host "Provide vCenter name"
$esxi_build = Read-Host "Provide ESXi build number you want to download"
$handle = Connect-VIServer $vcenter
$version = $handle.Version.Substring(0,3)

# Import downloaded ESXi Cisco Custom image, latest ESXi image, Cisco enic drivers and NetApp VAAI driver from the folder below
Get-EsxSoftwareDepot | Remove-EsxSoftwareDepot
Add-EsxSoftwareDepot (Get-ChildItem "c:\packages\$version" *.zip).FullName

$profilename = "ESXi-$version-$esxi_build"
Write-Host "Checking if already downloaded build matches target one"
if ((Get-EsxSoftwarePackage -Newest | ? name -eq esx-base).Version.Split('.')[-1] -ne $esxi_build) {
	Get-EsxSoftwareDepot | Remove-EsxSoftwareDepot
		
	Write-Host "New build $profilename wasn't found locally, adding online depot to download it"
	Add-EsxSoftwareDepot "https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml"

	Write-Host "Looking for a build to download"
	$ver = "ESXi-"  + $handle.Version + "-202"	
	Get-EsxImageProfile | ? Name -like *$ver*standard* | sort Name -Descending | % {
		if (($_.VibList | ? name -eq esx-base).Version.Split('.')[-1] -eq $esxi_build) {
			$profilename = $_.Name
			Write-Host "Found correct build in profile $profilename, downloading it"
			Export-EsxImageProfile $profilename -ExportToBundle c:\packages\$version\$profilename.zip
			break 
		}	
	}
}
else {
	Write-Host "Correct build is already downloaded"
	$profilename = "ESXi-$version-$esxi_build"
}

# Import downloaded ESXi Cisco Custom image, latest ESXi image, Cisco enic drivers and NetApp VAAI driver from the folder below
Get-EsxSoftwareDepot | Remove-EsxSoftwareDepot
Add-EsxSoftwareDepot (Get-ChildItem "c:\packages\$version" *.zip).FullName

Write-Host "Creating custom stateless ESXi image without tools"
if (!(Test-Path c:\packages\$profilename-no-tools.zip)) {
	New-EsxImageProfile -NewProfile -Name $profilename-no-tools -SoftwarePackage (Get-EsxSoftwarePackage -Newest | ? name -ne tools-light) -Vendor DevOps -AcceptanceLevel PartnerSupported
	Export-EsxImageProfile $profilename-no-tools -ExportToBundle c:\packages\$profilename-no-tools.zip
}

Write-Host "Creating custom stateful ESXi image with tools"
if (!(Test-Path c:\packages\$profilename-standard.zip)) {
	New-EsxImageProfile -NewProfile -Name $profilename-standard -SoftwarePackage (Get-EsxSoftwarePackage -Newest) -Vendor DevOps -AcceptanceLevel PartnerSupported
	Export-EsxImageProfile $profilename-standard -ExportToBundle c:\packages\$profilename-standard.zip
}