For the most part working with networking in a VMware Infrastructure environment can be easily done through the Virtual Infrastructure Client.  However, sometimes the need arises to change the IP address of the Service Console.  While you can go the route of creating a new Service Console port and removing the old one, I find it easier to change the IP details on the original Service Console port from the actual server console.

After getting logged into the Service Console you will need to delete the existing vSwitch that contains the service console:

esxcfg-vswif -d vswif0

Once the vSwitch has been deleted we will then re-create the vSwitch with the new IP information.  Note this command should be entered with the forward slash and space between the words Service and Console.

esxcfg-vswif -a vswif0 -p Service\ Console -i 10.1.1.1 -n 255.255.255.0 -b 10.1.1.255

There is one final step that is often overlooked or forgotten.  If you don’t update the hosts file then the Service Console “splash” screen will display the incorrect IP address the next time your ESX server boots.  This elusive hosts file can be modified using the nano text editor.  The exact command would be:

nano /etc/hosts

Once the file has opened its really a simple matter of changing the line that lists your ESX server name and its corresponding IP address.