PowerCLI and Technical Support Mode in ESXi v4.1

In previous versions of ESXi you would manage Technical Support Mode by modifying properties of the advanced setting 'VMkernel.Boot.techSupportMode'. Now both local and remote, are elevated to services and as such can be managed using the Get-VMHostService and Set-VMHostService cmdlets.

The Get-VMHostService cmdlet will, by default, return;

So, to change aspects of one of these use the Set-VMHostService, which has the syntax;

Set-VMHostService [-HostService] <HostService> [-Policy] <HostServicePolicy> [-WhatIf] [-Confirm] [<CommonParameters>]

To change the Remote Tech Support mode's policy to on so that it survives reboots;

Get-VMHostService | where { $_.key -eq 'TSM-SSH' } | Set
-VMHostService -Policy on

To start the service use the following;

Get-VMHostService | where { $_.key -eq 'TSM-SSH' } | Start-VMHostService