Start or stop ESXi services using PowerCLI

Start the ssh service on all hosts:

Get-VMHost | Foreach {
	Start-VMHostService -HostService ($_ | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH"})
}

If you want to start the ssh service on a single host, change ESXiHostName to your ESXi FQDN:

Get-VMHost -Name ESXiHostName | Foreach {
  Start-VMHostService -HostService ($_ | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH"})
}

If you want to stop the ssh service on all hosts:

Get-VMHost | Foreach {
  Stop-VMHostService -HostService ($_ | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH"})
}

If you have multiple cluster in vCenter, are connected to multiple vCenters, be sure to launch the command only to the necessary hosts:

• Get-Cluster -Name ClusterName will filter to the specified Cluster
• Get-VMHost -Name ESXiHostName will filter to the specified ESXi
• Get-VMHost -Server vCenterServerName will filter to the specified vCenter server

Get-Cluster -Name ClusterName | Get-VMHost -Name ESXiHostName -Server vCenterServerName | Foreach {
  Stop-VMHostService -HostService ($_ | Get-VMHostService | Where { $_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH"} )
}

These are other services I frequently use:

• DCUI (Direct Console UI)
• lwsmd (Active Directory Service)
• ntpd (NTP Daemon)
• sfcbd-watchdog (CIM Server)
• snmpd (SNMP Server)
• TSM (ESXi Shell)
• TSM-SSH (SSH)
• vmsyslogd (Syslog Server)
• vmware-fdm (vSphere High Availability Agent)
• vpxa (VMware vCenter Agent)
• xorg (X.Org Server)

There are other services available but I have never used them in this context (yet):

• lbtd (Load-Based Teaming Daemon)
• pcscd (PC/SC Smart Card Daemon)
• vprobed (VProbe Daemon)

Change the startup policy for a service:

• Automatic: Start automatically if any ports are open, and stop when all ports are closed
• On: Start and stop with host
• Off: Start and stop manually

Get-VMHost | Foreach {
	Set-VMHostService -HostService ($_ | Get-VMHostService | Where {$_.key -eq "TSM-SSH"}) -policy On
}