ESXi

To Download the iso-image of actual ESXi, you have to complete the free registration on vmware.com.
Registration is strict required otherwise you will be not able to download the installation media and the free license.

Now you have the installation iso, like this one: (VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.5.0.update02-2068190.x86_64.iso)
Burn to CD/DVD or dd to a USB-flash disk if you don’t have any blank CDs or DVDs.

After Download of a iso fine, you will find a free licence key, will looks like this one:
NXX8X-AXJX5-LXRX9-0X1XP-3XJXK

SSD-Storage

Enabling the SSD option on SSD based disks/LUNs that are not detected as SSD

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esxcli storage nmp device list

Output of the above command is like this one:
naa.644a8420026a23001c5bd19105e233f1

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esxcli storage nmp satp rule add --satp=VMW_SATP_LOCAL --device naa.644a84200268b1001c5bd673084bb859 --option "enable_local enable_ssd"

Network and routing

Show routes:

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esxcfg-route -l

Set a global default route:

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esxcfg-route -a default 10.1.10.254

Set a static ip for the interface vmk0:

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esxcli network ip interface ipv4 set -i vmk0 -I 100.1.130.130 -N 255.255.255.0 -t static

Nice to have

Punchzero alias hrink vmdk alias holepunching

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vmkfstools --punchzero wooki.example.com.vmdk
# or following short alias
vmkfstools -K wooki.example.com.vmdk

SSH-Key authentication
For ESXi 5.0, the location of authorized_keys for root is: /etc/ssh/keys-root/authorized_keys
More than one key can be stored in authorized_keys-file

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/etc/init.d/SSH restart

Rsync
Out of the box ESXi brings only scp, if you are missing rsync, this is a possible installation way:
rsync in version 3.0.9 protocol version 30

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wget http://zeldor.biz/other/esxi/rsync
mv rsync /usr/bin/
chmod +x /usr/bin/rsync

vSphere client
Quick access your ESXi-server with a Windows batch file:

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@ECHO OFF
"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe" -s 10.1.60.91 -U root -P "Y0ur!PaSsw0rd"
exit

reverse ssh
Reach a ESXi server behind a firewall or router via vSphere client over an ssh-tunnel can be somethimes very useful

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sudo ssh -N -L 192.168.101.28:443:172.18.20.10:443 root@router_or_firewall
sudo ssh -N -L 192.168.101.28:902:172.18.20.10:902 root@router_or_firewall

192.168.101.28 – IP of a local system
172.18.20.10 – ESXi IP-Addr.

Port 443 could be enough but if you with to see the console of your vm you have additional to tunnel port 902.

Links

VisualEsxtop