The portal will provide direct documentation links and often redirect authentication requests seamlessly back to your Broadcom or HPE enterprise profile to authorize the package delivery. Deploying the ISO via HPE iLO

The HPE custom image does not include drivers for very old NICs (e.g., Broadcom 5719 on HPE Gen9? Actually, Gen9 is supported. This happens on whitebox hardware). Fix: Ensure you are booting on genuine HPE hardware. For unsupported NICs, see if HPE offers a separate offline bundle.

VMware’s generic ESXi ISO works on many servers, but HPE servers often rely on specialized drivers for their storage controllers, network adapters, and management tools like iLO. The bundles those drivers directly into the installation media, so everything works out of the box. Some HPE servers (especially Gen9 and newer) literally cannot complete an installation with the generic ISO because the required drivers are missing—and you cannot inject them during setup.

If you are still wondering whether the VMware standard ISO will work, the answer is nuanced. The standard ISO from VMware is the "base image." The HPE custom image takes this and "injects" custom VIBs (VMware Installation Bundles) specific to HPE hardware.

The standard VMware ISO only contains generic drivers. If you attempt to install it on a modern HPE ProLiant Gen9, Gen10, or Gen11 server, you will very likely encounter errors—the installer simply won't recognize the storage controllers (like HPE Smart Array) or network cards. The drivers for these components are integrated into the HPE Custom ESXi image and are not part of the base image distributed by VMware.

Follow these steps to locate the official HPE custom images. 1. Access the Broadcom Support Portal

Deploying VMware vSphere on Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) ProLiant servers requires a specialized touch. While the standard VMware installer works, using the ensures your hardware runs reliably, stays cool, and remains fully visible to monitoring tools.

After the installation finishes, so your server boots every time:

Contrary to popular belief, you need an active warranty or support contract for the installation ISO. HPE allows public access to base installation media.

Note: HPE ProLiant Gen9, Gen10, and Gen10 Plus servers fully support ESXi 7.0. Gen8 servers and older are officially deprecated and not supported by ESXi 7.0.

Register for the license key. Log into your installed ESXi host via the web browser. Go to Manage > Licensing > Assign License .

VMware assets migrated to the Broadcom Support Portal. Follow these steps to locate the free download area. Go to the . Create a free account or log in with existing credentials.

Using this image ensures full hardware recognition, stability, and access to HPE’s support tools. Without it, you may encounter missing drivers or unsupported devices.