We are running HP Proliant DL360 G7's with ESXi 5.1.0, 1021289 (not a custom HP image)..
~ # esxcli network nic list
Name PCI Device Driver Link Speed Duplex MAC Address MTU Description
------ ------------- ------ ---- ----- ------ ----------------- ---- --------------------------------------------------------------
vmnic0 0000:003:00.0 bnx2 Up 1000 Full 6c:3b:e5:b1:93:c8 9000 Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5709 1000Base-T
vmnic1 0000:003:00.1 bnx2 Up 1000 Full 6c:3b:e5:b1:93:ca 9000 Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5709 1000Base-T
vmnic2 0000:004:00.0 bnx2 Up 1000 Full 6c:3b:e5:b1:93:c0 1500 Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5709 1000Base-T
vmnic3 0000:004:00.1 bnx2 Up 1000 Full 6c:3b:e5:b1:93:c2 1500 Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5709 1000Base-T
vmnic4 0000:00b:00.0 e1000e Up 1000 Full e8:39:35:12:3f:95 1500 Intel Corporation 82571EB Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper)
vmnic5 0000:00b:00.1 e1000e Up 1000 Full e8:39:35:12:3f:94 1500 Intel Corporation 82571EB Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper)
vmnic6 0000:00c:00.0 e1000e Down 0 Half e8:39:35:12:3f:97 1500 Intel Corporation 82571EB Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper)
vmnic7 0000:00c:00.1 e1000e Down 0 Half e8:39:35:12:3f:96 1500 Intel Corporation 82571EB Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper)
~ # esxcli software vib list
Name Version Vendor Acceptance Level Install Date
----------------------------- ---------------------------------- ------ ---------------- ------------
ata-pata-amd 0.3.10-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-atiixp 0.4.6-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-cmd64x 0.2.5-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-hpt3x2n 0.3.4-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-pdc2027x 1.0-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-serverworks 0.4.3-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-sil680 0.4.8-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ata-pata-via 0.3.3-2vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
block-cciss 3.6.14-10vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ehci-ehci-hcd 1.0-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
esx-base 5.1.0-0.10.1021289 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-03-19
esx-dvfilter-generic-fastpath 5.1.0-0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
esx-tboot 5.1.0-0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
esx-xlibs 5.1.0-0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
esx-xserver 5.1.0-0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ima-qla4xxx 2.01.31-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ipmi-ipmi-devintf 39.1-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ipmi-ipmi-msghandler 39.1-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ipmi-ipmi-si-drv 39.1-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
misc-cnic-register 1.1-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
misc-drivers 5.1.0-0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-be2net 4.1.255.11-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-bnx2 2.0.15g.v50.11-7vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-bnx2x 1.61.15.v50.3-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-cnic 1.10.2j.v50.7-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-e1000 8.0.3.1-2vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-e1000e 1.1.2-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-enic 1.4.2.15a-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-forcedeth 0.61-2vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-igb 2.1.11.1-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-ixgbe 3.7.13.6iov-10vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-nx-nic 4.0.558-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-r8168 8.013.00-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-r8169 6.011.00-2vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-s2io 2.1.4.13427-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-sky2 1.20-2vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-tg3 3.110h.v50.4-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
net-vmxnet3 1.1.3.0-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
ohci-usb-ohci 1.0-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-ahci 3.0-13vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-ata-piix 2.12-6vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-sata-nv 3.5-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-sata-promise 2.12-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-sata-sil24 1.1-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-sata-sil 2.3-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
sata-sata-svw 2.3-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-aacraid 1.1.5.1-9vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-adp94xx 1.0.8.12-6vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-aic79xx 3.1-5vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-bnx2i 1.9.1d.v50.1-5vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-fnic 1.5.0.3-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-hpsa 5.0.0-21vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-ips 7.12.05-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-lpfc820 8.2.3.1-127vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-megaraid-mbox 2.20.5.1-6vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-megaraid-sas 5.34-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-megaraid2 2.00.4-9vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-mpt2sas 10.00.00.00-5vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-mptsas 4.23.01.00-6vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-mptspi 4.23.01.00-6vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-qla2xxx 902.k1.1-9vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-qla4xxx 5.01.03.2-4vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
scsi-rste 2.0.2.0088-1vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
uhci-usb-uhci 1.0-3vmw.510.0.0.799733 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-19
vmware-fdm 5.1.0-947673 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-03-31
tools-light 5.1.0-0.9.914609 VMware VMwareCertified 2013-02-28
On the affected ESXi host i get this:
~ # esxcli network nic list
Connect to localhost failed: Connection failure
~ # esxcli software vib list
Connect to localhost failed: Connection failure