Running ESXCLI Host Management Commands

You can run ESXCLI host management commands from the command line of the system where you installed the package and from scripts.

Host management commands require at a minimum access to the target server to run the commands on. Users must authenticate to the host, and can only perform tasks that they are authorized to perform.

Important: If an ESXi system that you target is in lockdown mode, you cannot run ESXCLI commands against that system directly. You must target a vCenter Server system that manages the ESXi system and use the --vihost option to specify the ESXi target. See ESXCLI and Lockdown Mode.