At its core, ESXi 6.7 is a Type 1 hypervisor. Unlike Type 2 hypervisors, which run as an application on top of an operating system like Windows or Linux, a Type 1 hypervisor installs directly onto the physical hardware. This "bare-metal" approach eliminates the overhead of a host operating system, allowing virtual machines (VMs) to access CPU, memory, and storage with near-native performance. Version 6.7 introduced several key enhancements to this process, including improved support for high-performance memory (PMEM) and the introduction of the HTML5-based vSphere Client, which replaced the outdated and security-vulnerable Flash-based interface.
. If you are using specific hardware (like HPE or Dell), check the Custom ISOs tab for optimized drivers. HPE Support Center Critical Support Information End of General Support : Official general support for vSphere 6.7 ended on October 15, 2022
Once logged in, hover over "Products and Accounts" in the top menu, then click "Download Products" from the dropdown.
However, finding the download today requires navigating Broadcom’s updated support infrastructure following their acquisition of VMware. Important Status Update (2024–2026)
ESXi 6.7 reached its End of General Support (EOGS) on October 15, 2022, and End of Technical Guidance (EOTG) followed shortly after. While you can still download it, you should only use it for offline labs, legacy hardware compatibility, or air-gapped production environments that cannot be upgraded.
: Ensure your physical server is compatible with version 6.7 before installing, as older or much newer hardware may lack driver support. Broadcom Community Installation Overview Once downloaded, the standard process involves: Creating a bootable USB installer with the ISO.