Determining VMware Software Version and Build Number

I am just writing an observation report about a virtual infrastructure based upon VMware ESX and was wondering which version the customer is running Virtual Center at the moment. After asking my vExpert colleagues 8-)  they pointed me to the help menu and the about VMware Infrastructure item in the virtual infrastructure client. It nicely shows me what software is running as Virtual Center in build numbers.

After googling around the big library they call internet I found a nice knowledge base article from VMware explaining how to get version and build numbers. You can also use a command to get the version number of VMware vCenter Server by using:

To identify which version of VirtualCenter Server you are running, type (including the quotes): “C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\vpxd.exe” –v

It still keeps showing me build numbers too, not what I need. The customer just wants to know which update they are at in terms of readable stuff like Update 1 or Update 2 and so on. Not a build number like 16458932279.

So I compiled a list of build numbers and updates from the patch notes for VMware ESX and VMware vCenter Server.

vCenter Server 4.0.0 | 05 May 2009 | Build 162902

VirtualCenter 2.5 Server Update 4 | 23 Feb 2009 | Build 147633 (English version) VirtualCenter 2.5 Server Update 3 | 03 Oct 2008 | Build 119598 (English version) VirtualCenter 2.5 Server Update 2 | 25 July 2008 | Build 104217 (English version) VirtualCenter 2.5 Server Update 1 | 10 Apr 2008 | Build 84767 (English version) VirtualCenter 2.5 Server | 12/10/2007 | Build 64201

VMware ESX Server 4.0 | 21 May 2009 | Build 164009

VMware ESX Server 3.5 Update 4 | 30 Mar 2009 | Build 153875 VMware ESX Server 3.5 Update 3 | 06 Nov 2008 | Build 123630 VMware ESX Server 3.5 Update 2 | 13 Aug 2008 | Build 110268 VMware ESX Server 3.5 Update 1 | 10 Apr 2008 | Build 82663 VMware ESX Server 3.5 | 02/20/2008 | Build 64607

Hope it helps out for easy reference.