enable SSH on ESXi

• On the ESXi console press alt F1
• you will see no prompt or whatever, just type unsupported
• Enter your root password
• at the prompt type vi /etc/inetd.conf
• search with pressing / for a line that starts with #ssh
• remove the #.  This can be done by pressing x when you’re on the character #
• save the file by typing :wq!
• restart the server

with thanks to the great post on yellow-bricks.com