Solution: HPE often provides a unified ISO for all ProLiant models. Download the one for "ProLiant DL/XL/Synergy" – it works for Blade servers too.
Once downloaded and installed, SSH into your ESXi host and run:
esxcli system version get
Expected output:
Product: VMware ESXi
Version: 7.0.3
Build: 19482537
Update: 3
Then check for HPE customization:
esxcli software vib list | grep -i hpe
You should see VIBs like:
If these do not appear, you downloaded the vanilla VMware ISO by mistake.
For IT administrators who want to know exactly what they are deploying, here is the component breakdown:
| Component | Vanilla ESXi 7.0 U3 | HPE Customized ESXi 7.0 U3 |
|------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| SCSI driver (lpfc, qlnative) | Generic | HPE-tuned with async versions |
| Management agents | None | hp-ams (Agent Management Service) |
| iLO cooperation | Basic | Enhanced hponcfg and hptestevent|
| VIBs added | N/A | hpe-esxi-fc, hpe-smx-provider, hpe-nmi |
| Boot time | Standard | +5 seconds (due to agent injection)|
HPE also includes a special VIBs directory for post-install driver additions.
Subject: 📢 HPE Customized ESXi 7.0 Update 3 ISO Available for Download
Team,
The HPE-customized VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 ISO is now available for our HPE server fleet.
Why use this version?
Download location: 🔗 HPE Support Center → Select server model → VMware vSphere 7.0 → Download ISO
Validation:
Deployment notes:
Let me know if you need the direct HPE SPP download link or checksum file.
The HPE Customized VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 ISO is a specialized installation image designed to bridge the gap between standard VMware software and proprietary HPE server hardware. Unlike the generic "vanilla" image, this ISO integrates specific drivers and management tools necessary for the stability and monitoring of HPE ProLiant, Synergy, and Superdome Flex servers. The Critical Role of Customization
For modern enterprise environments, using a vendor-customized image is often mandatory rather than optional.
Hardware Enablement: New HPE servers (Gen9, Gen10, and Gen11) often use storage and network controllers that are not recognized by the standard VMware image. The HPE ISO includes these critical drivers, preventing installation failures.
Integrated Management Tools: The image pre-installs the Agentless Management Service (AMS) and HPE iLO drivers, allowing administrators to monitor hardware health, thermal status, and power consumption directly through the vSphere client or HPE OneView.
Performance Optimization: It includes specialized utilities like the SSACLI (Smart Storage Administrator CLI) for managing RAID arrays and the Smart Update Tool (iSUT) for firmware orchestration. Evolution of the 7.0 Update 3 Release
The lifecycle of ESXi 7.0 Update 3 was notably turbulent. In late 2021, VMware temporarily pulled the initial U3 release due to critical bugs. HPE followed suit, removing corresponding images from their repositories. Subsequent "re-released" versions of Update 3 (such as U3c and later) addressed these issues. Administrators are encouraged to use the latest available version—such as the February 2025 or September 2023 releases—and apply subsequent patches. How to Download the HPE ISO
Following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, the download process has shifted from the old VMware Customer Connect portal to the Broadcom Support Portal. VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers | HPE
Scroll down to the "Drivers" or "Management Software" section. Look for an entry similar to:
VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 (HPE Customized Image) Release date: [December 2021 – March 2022 range] File name:
VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-19482537-HPE-700.U.03.10.5.6-March2022.iso
💡 Tip: If you cannot find the exact U3 version, use the search term "ESXi 7.0 U3 HPE" in the support center search bar.
To download the HPE Customized VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 ISO , you must now use the Broadcom Support Portal
, as it has replaced the legacy VMware Customer Connect site. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Step-by-Step Download Guide Access the Portal : Go to the Broadcom Support Portal
and log in with your registered credentials. If you do not have an account, you must register first. Navigate to VMware Downloads VMware Cloud Foundation from the dropdown menu next to your username. My Downloads on the left-hand navigation menu. Search for vSphere : Use the search bar in the upper right to search for VMware vSphere and select it from the results. Select Product & Version Choose the entitlement you are licensed for (e.g., VMware vSphere – Enterprise Select the major version from the version dropdown list. Locate HPE Custom ISO Click on the Custom ISOs tab (instead of the standard "Products" tab). Locate the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0U3 Install CD
Select the specific version/date you need (e.g., the latest release for ProLiant or Synergy).
: Click the download link next to the desired ISO. You may be required to accept the Broadcom EULA or complete a screening process before the download begins. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Key Version Details (As of Early 2026) VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers | HPE EUROPE
The low hum of the data center floor was usually a comfort to Elena, but tonight, it felt like the buzzing of a ticking clock.
Elena was the Lead Infrastructure Architect for a mid-sized healthcare network. For the past six months, she had been fighting a losing battle against "VM sprawl" and aging hardware. The hospital’s patient record system was lagging, and the legacy servers were wheezing under the load of modern imaging software. vmware esxi 7.0 update 3 hpe customized iso image download
She had the cure: a brand-new fleet of HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 servers. They were sleek, powerful, and rack-mounted, sitting like sleeping giants in Row 4. But hardware without an operating system is just an expensive space heater.
Elena needed to install VMware ESXi. And not just any version—she needed the specific VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3.
But as any seasoned sysadmin knows, installing bare-metal hypervisors on OEM hardware can be a nightmare of missing drivers. If she used the standard VMware ISO, she’d spend hours hunting down HPE Smart Storage Array drivers, struggling with network interface card (NIC) recognition, and banging her head against the keyboard trying to configure the iLO (Integrated Lights-Out).
She didn't have hours. The maintenance window was Saturday at 2:00 AM. It was Friday evening.
"This calls for the heavy artillery," Elena muttered to her colleague, Marcus, who was nursing a lukewarm coffee nearby.
"You're going for the Custom ISO?" Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Absolutely," Elena said, spinning her chair around. "I’m not manually injecting VIBs (vSphere Installation Bundles) at 3:00 AM. I need the HPE Customized ISO Image."
Elena turned back to her dual monitors. She knew the drill, but the landscape had changed recently. VMware had shuffled their download portals, and HPE had reorganized their support sites. Finding the specific HPE-customized version of ESXi 7.0 Update 3 required precision.
She opened her browser and navigated to the VMware Customer Connect portal. Logging in, she felt that familiar twinge of anxiety—please let the credentials work, please let the session not time out.
She navigated to the Products and Accounts section, then to Product Downloads.
"Here’s the trap," Elena whispered. "If you search just 'ESXi', you get the vanilla ISO. That’s the enemy."
She filtered the product line for VMware vSphere. She saw the list of versions scrolling down. She passed 8.0—too new for their current backup appliance compatibility. She passed 6.7—too old.
There it was: VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3.
She clicked the version number. Now came the critical moment. She had to select the Vendor in the dropdown. Most people missed this. They just clicked "Go to Downloads" for the standard image.
Elena clicked the dropdown menu labeled "Select Vendor". The list populated: Dell, Lenovo, Hitachi...
She clicked HPE.
The page refreshed, and the file list populated. It wasn't just a file; it was a promise. She saw the filename: VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-HPE-xxx.iso.
"This is it," Elena said, pointing at the screen. "This image contains the HPE-specific drivers for the Smart Array controllers and the iLO management chip. It means I won't have to fight the hardware to recognize the hard drives."
Marcus leaned over. "Don't forget to grab the checksums. You don't want a corrupted download turning your RAID array into a brick."
Elena nodded. She clicked Download Now. A pop-up appeared, asking for the standard EULA agreement. She accepted, and the download bar appeared at the bottom of her screen.
While the 350MB file transferred, she opened a terminal window to verify the SHA256 checksum. She compared the hash on the HPE advisory page against the file downloading.
Match confirmed.
"Safe and sound," she announced.
She ejected the USB stick she had prepped, loaded the ISO onto it using Rufus to make it bootable, and labeled it with a black marker: ESXi 7.0 U3 - HPE Custom - vSphere 7.
The next morning, Saturday, 2:15 AM. The data center was freezing, the white noise deafening.
Elena plugged the USB stick into the first HPE ProLiant. The server whirred to life, fans ramping up like a jet engine. The iLO screen flickered on her laptop cart.
The ESXi installer loaded. Instead of the standard purple error screens she feared (usually signaling missing storage drivers), the HPE logo appeared in the corner of the installer. The installer detected the storage controller instantly. It saw the network ports. It saw the iLO.
No manual driver loading. No error codes.
Within twenty minutes, the hypervisor was installed. Elena set the root password, configured the static IP, and rebooted the host. The familiar yellow and black console management screen appeared, glowing in the dark room.
VMware ESXi 7.0.3 (HPE Custom Image)
Elena leaned back in her chair, exhaling a breath she felt like she’d been holding since Friday. She opened vCenter on her laptop and added the new host to the cluster. The status turned green. Connected.
She texted Marcus: Host 1 is up. Drivers are perfect. Coffee is on me Monday.
The customized ISO had saved the night. It was a small file, downloaded from a specific vendor link, but for Elena, it was the difference between a smooth upgrade and a weekend disaster. Solution: HPE often provides a unified ISO for
VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO Image Download: A Comprehensive Guide
VMware ESXi is a popular hypervisor used in many data centers and cloud environments. It provides a robust and secure platform for virtualizing servers and running multiple virtual machines on a single physical host. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) offers customized ESXi ISO images that are specifically designed for HPE ProLiant servers. These customized ISO images provide optimized drivers and support for HPE hardware.
In this article, we will focus on downloading and using the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image. We will cover the benefits of using a customized ISO image, the system requirements, and a step-by-step guide on how to download and install the image.
Benefits of Using a Customized ISO Image
Using a customized ISO image provides several benefits, including:
System Requirements
Before downloading and installing the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:
Downloading the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO Image
To download the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image, follow these steps:
Verifying the ISO Image
After downloading the ISO image, verify its integrity by checking the checksum value. This ensures that the ISO image has not been corrupted during download.
sha256sum VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-HPE- custom.iso
Compare the output with the checksum value provided on the HPE website.
Creating a Bootable USB Drive
To install ESXi 7.0 Update 3 from the customized ISO image, create a bootable USB drive.
Installing ESXi 7.0 Update 3
To install ESXi 7.0 Update 3 from the customized ISO image, follow these steps:
Conclusion
In this article, we provided a comprehensive guide on downloading and using the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image. By using a customized ISO image, you can ensure that your ESXi installation is optimized for your HPE ProLiant server. The customized ISO image provides optimized drivers, simplified installation, and support for specific HPE hardware.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily download and install the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE customized ISO image. If you encounter any issues during the installation process, refer to the VMware and HPE documentation for troubleshooting guides.
Additional Resources
Downloading VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO For administrators running HPE ProLiant or Synergy servers, using the HPE Customized ISO is the most reliable way to install or upgrade to ESXi 7.0 Update 3. These images include critical Hewlett Packard Enterprise drivers (such as the HPE iLO driver and SSACLI utility) that are not part of the standard VMware "vanilla" image. Official Download Location
Following the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom, the primary location to download these customized images has moved from the legacy VMware Customer Connect site to the Broadcom Support Portal.
Access the Portal: Log in to the Broadcom Support Portal using your registered credentials.
Navigate to Downloads: From the "My Downloads" section on the left sidebar, search for VMware vSphere.
Select Entitlements: Choose the version of vSphere you are entitled to (e.g., VMware vSphere – Enterprise) and select major version 7.0.
Find the HPE ISO: Click on the Custom ISOs tab. Use the search bar to locate the "HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0U3 Install CD".
Download: Select the desired version (e.g., the latest available release for May 2024 or February 2025) and click the download icon after accepting the EULA. Why Use the HPE Customized Image? VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers | HPE
ESXi 7.0 U3—HPE Synergy only Nov 2024. From the Custom ISOs tab, locate and select the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0U3 Install CD. Hewlett Packard Enterprise HPE Custom Image for VMware vSphere 7.0 Update 3
The HPE customized ISO for VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 is the most reliable way to install vSphere on HPE servers, as it includes pre-integrated drivers for network and storage controllers (like those in Gen9, Gen10, and Gen11) that are not part of the standard VMware image. How to Download
Since the migration of VMware Customer Connect, you must now use the Broadcom Support Portal to find these images. Log in to the Broadcom Support Portal. Navigate to My Downloads > VMware vSphere.
Select the specific version (e.g., 7.0) and click on the Custom ISOs tab.
Locate the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0U3 (look for the latest build, such as the February 2025 release for ProLiant).
Key "Interesting" Feature: Integrated Smart Update Tool (iSUT) Once downloaded and installed, SSH into your ESXi
One of the most notable features included in the HPE customized image is the HPE Integrated Smart Update Tool (iSUT). VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers | HPE AFRICA
To download the HPE Customized ISO for VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 , you must now Broadcom Support Portal
, as it has replaced the legacy VMware Customer Connect site. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Download Instructions
Because of Broadcom’s portal architecture, direct download links are no longer available. Follow these steps to find the image: Hewlett Packard Enterprise : Access the Broadcom Support Portal and log in with your registered credentials. Select Product : From the menu, navigate to My Downloads and search for VMware vSphere Choose Version
: Select your specific entitlement (e.g., vSphere Enterprise Plus) and choose version Locate Custom ISOs : Click on the Custom ISOs Filter for HPE
: Use the search box to find "HPE" or "Hewlett Packard Enterprise". : Locate the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0 Update 3
(e.g., version 703.0.0.10.9.1 or similar) and click the download icon. Broadcom support portal Quick Reference for Specific Variants VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers | HPE
ESXi 7.0 U3—HPE Synergy only Nov 2024. From the Custom ISOs tab, locate and select the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0U3 Install CD. Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Here’s a short, narrative-style answer that explains not just where to find it, but the why behind the HPE custom image.
You’re staring at a server rack. In it, a ProLiant DL380 Gen10. You know vanilla VMware ESXi 7.0 works, but you’ve been burned before—missing drivers for the Smart Array controller, a NIC that drops packets every 48 hours, or a warning light that never turns green.
That’s why you’re typing: "vmware esxi 7.0 update 3 hpe customized iso image download."
The short answer: Go directly to HPE’s Support Center, not VMware’s site.
The story:
Once upon a time, you’d download the standard ESXi ISO from VMware. Then you’d spend hours slipstreaming drivers using PowerShell or the Image Builder. Then HPE released vmw-ESXi-7.0U3-19193900-HPE-703.0.0.10.6.7.8 (yes, that long number matters). It contains:
For ESXi 7.0 Update 3, the exact HPE custom image you want follows this pattern:
VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-<build>-HPE-<version>-<release>.ISO
Example filename (real from 2023/2024):
VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-20344453-HPE-703.0.0.10.9.0.6-October2024.iso
Where to find it today (2026 scenario):
If you no longer have an active support contract, check the HPE Software Depot (public) – but for Update 3, many ISOs have moved behind paywall or to Broadcom’s portal since the VMware acquisition.
Pro tip: Don’t grab the latest U3 image blindly. Check the HPE Support Matrix – some U3 builds have a known bug with NVMe hotplug on Gen10. HPE sometimes pulls and republishes ISOs quietly.
The ending: You download the 800 MB ISO, boot the server via iLO, install, and – for the first time – esxcli hardware platform get returns HPE ProLiant with all sensors reporting. No red lights. No missing vmnic.
That’s why you ask for the HPE customized image, not the generic one.
The HPE Customized ISO Image for VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 is the recommended installation media for HPE ProLiant, Synergy, and Apollo servers. Unlike the standard VMware installer, this image includes critical drivers and management software tailored for HPE hardware, ensuring compatibility with storage and network controllers found in Gen9, Gen10, and Gen11 servers. How to Download the HPE Customized ISO
Following the acquisition by Broadcom, the download process has moved to the Broadcom Support Portal.
Access the Portal: Log in to the Broadcom Support Portal with your enterprise account credentials.
Navigate to vSphere: Go to the "My Downloads" section and select VMware vSphere.
Select Version: Choose the specific release (e.g., vSphere 7.0) from the primary downloads tab.
Go to Custom ISOs: Switch to the Custom ISOs tab. Here, you can filter by vendor to find "HPE".
Verify the Build: Locate the latest 7.0 U3 entry (such as the April 2023 or February 2025 releases) and click Download.
Alternatively, documentation and direct release information can often be found on the HPE VMware ESXi Support Page. Why Use the HPE Customized Image?
Using the standard VMware ISO on HPE hardware often results in failed installations because it lacks drivers for specific RAID controllers and NICs. The HPE image provides: Hewlett Packard Enterprisehttps://support.hpe.com HPE Custom Image for VMware vSphere 7.0 Update 3
Important Note: You are looking for the Installable ISO, not the Offline Bundle (unless you are planning an automated script installation). The ISO file is typically around 350MB - 400MB.