Following the Broadcom acquisition, the "Vendor Custom ISOs" section on the VMware download portal has been restructured.
esxcli software vib list | grep -i hpe
You should see VIBs like:
If these are missing, you downloaded a generic ISO by mistake.
Typically, the file looks like:
VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-xxxxxxx-HPE-7.0.3.10.6.x.x-xxxxxx.iso
Always download the latest HPE version of Update 3, not the initial Release Candidate.
Use VMware Customer Connect (with VMware account) → search for “HPE” → but HPE’s site always has the latest HPE-tested version.
The Upgrade
It was a typical Monday morning for John, a senior IT administrator at a large enterprise. He was responsible for managing the company's virtual infrastructure, which consisted of multiple VMware ESXi hosts. As he sipped his coffee, he checked his email and noticed a notification from VMware about the latest update, ESXi 7.0 Update 3.
John knew that updating his ESXi hosts was crucial to ensure they had the latest security patches, bug fixes, and features. He also knew that his hosts were customized by HPE, and he needed to make sure that any updates he applied wouldn't cause issues with their specific hardware.
The Search
John began searching for the ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image. He navigated to the VMware website, but couldn't find the specific ISO image he was looking for. He tried searching for "ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO" on his favorite search engine, but the results were overwhelming.
Just as he was about to give up, John remembered that HPE had a dedicated website for their customized VMware ESXi images. He navigated to the HPE Support website and searched for "ESXi 7.0 Update 3". After a few clicks, he found the correct ISO image.
The Download
John clicked on the download link, and the ISO image began to download. The file was around 4 GB, and it took a few minutes to complete. Once the download was finished, John verified the checksum of the ISO image to ensure its integrity. Following the Broadcom acquisition, the "Vendor Custom ISOs"
With the ISO image in hand, John was ready to update his ESXi hosts. He uploaded the ISO image to his host's datastore and began the upgrade process. The upgrade went smoothly, and soon his hosts were running ESXi 7.0 Update 3 with the HPE customized image.
The Benefits
After the upgrade, John noticed several benefits. The hosts were more secure, with the latest patches applied. The performance of the virtual machines had also improved, thanks to the optimized drivers included in the HPE customized image.
Moreover, John was impressed by the seamless integration of the HPE customized image with his existing infrastructure. The image had been specifically designed to work with HPE hardware, ensuring that all features and components were fully supported.
The Top
As John completed the upgrade, he realized that he had successfully accomplished his goal. He had updated his ESXi hosts to the latest version, ensuring they were secure, stable, and optimized for his HPE hardware. He felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing that his infrastructure was now running at its best.
The top priority for John had been to ensure a smooth upgrade process, and he had achieved it. He could now focus on other critical tasks, confident that his virtual infrastructure was in top shape. You should see VIBs like:
The VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image had been successfully downloaded, verified, and applied, and John's infrastructure was now running at its best.
** Sources **
I hope you like the story!
HPE doesn’t just rebrand the ISO. They add:
| Component | Purpose |
|-----------|---------|
| HPE Add-on | Enables vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) integration |
| HPE Agents | hp-ams, hp-smx-provider, hpe-ilo |
| Custom drivers | Storage (smartpqi, hpsa), network (bnxtnet, i40en), server (cpqarray) |
| Management | HPE Integrated Management Log (IML) viewer, SNMP |
Without these, features like iLO monitoring, hardware alerts, and even some boot devices may fail.
VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 is a mature release used widely in enterprise and SMB datacenters. When running HPE servers, using the HPE-customized ESXi ISO is recommended because it bundles HPE-specific drivers, management agents (like HPE iLO/SSA/SmartStorage), and firmware compatibility checks that improve hardware stability and supportability. If these are missing, you downloaded a generic
VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 is a major release. HPE performs a rigorous Validation Program (Ready Node). The "top" build refers to the specific build number that has passed HPE’s full regression suite for Gen10 and Gen10 Plus servers. Using a generic ISO might lead to PSOD (Purple Screen of Death) during firmware updates.
Warning: Never download ISOs from third-party torrent sites or file-sharing forums. You risk injecting malware or bricking your host. Below are the top official sources.