ESX3i and HP ML115 G5

[Mr_Gimper]

I read all over the net that the ML115 could run ESX3.5 so I bought a couple. Unfortunately the onboard NIC wasn't detected and I read that you had to hack ESX about a bit to get the onboard SATA controller to be usable.

Decided to shelve that approach, and installed them as a 2 node 2008 cluster with Hyper-V.

Then ESX3i comes along.....

Downloaded ESX3i and did the USB boot thing, and am happy to say that ESX3i detects both the onboard NIC and the SATA controller. Well pleased, considering these boxes are around £115 each (with £55 for a corsair 4gb mem kit). A proper install of ESX3i to disk will not work as it doesn't detect the onboard SATA during install. Using the USB boot, I have created a VMFS 3 datastore on the local SATA disk no problems.

Hoping to get a 3rd to run as an iSCSI server :smileygrin:

Just thought I'd let you guys know of this cheap server option, if you weren't already aware.

[benschaefer]

That's great to here, we've been trying to figure out this one for a bit... Calling my HP rep for some servers right away!

[smyth]

Did you use the internal USB port on the server for ESXi?

I guess it would probably detect the E200i card and you could use the installable version that way? But considering that costs £180 it's more than what the server cost.

[Mr_Gimper]

Hi,

Yes I use the internal port for usb key (which is a kingston datatraveller 100, pc world have a twin pack for £8.99)

SATA is detected as MCP55 SATA Controller, NIC as NetXtreme BCM5703 Gigabit Ethernet

Edit: Not totally fussed about installing to HD, USB boot works a dream.

[Hillel_s]

Did you try to use the ML115 onboard SATA with RAID?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

RAID doesn't appear to work with the MCP driver that ESXi ships with. You would have to set the controller to IDE / SATA mode.

[Mr_Gimper]

Haven't tried, so afraid I can't answer that.

[leproxxx]

hi! I have some erros booting from USB in my ML115 , "panic:bank error" the pendrive is OK , because it boots with ESXi in another machine.

Did you use the onboard USB ports? theres is any special settings in BIOS ,for USB to work?

Thanks!!

[Mr_Gimper]

Hi,

I have booted using both the internal and external USB ports no problem. The BIOS settings are effectively the "reset to defaults" with virtualization switched on, thats it.

[jonasb]

A reason why the NICs couldn't be detected in ESX3.5 but in ESXi in th G5 model might be because it has a NC105i. The G1 model (which I have, which works on ESX3.5, haven't tried ESXi yet) has a NC320i.

[leproxxx]

I needed to put Usb in "hard disk" emulation , and works fine..

Another question , when i enter the free serial number into the VI client , its swhitched to 1 CPU , with the same server but with Vmware server i can create VM with tow CPU , and with ESXi when i put 2 CPU for a VM get this error "Admission check failed for cpu resource" then i change to 1 cpu and works...there is any relation with the 1cpu license and this error??

HW:HP Proliant ML115 G1 Opteron Dual Core 1210 , 1gb RAM

Thanks!

[Mr_Gimper]

Sorry, can't help with a solution, but I can create VMs with 2 vCPUs on my G5's.

[leproxxx]

But in Configuration-Licensed Feautres , you have "licensed for 1 CPU" ?

[Mr_Gimper]

Yes. It came up with 1 cpu.

[leproxxx]

Ok , so if i have a server with two quad core processors i will not take full advantage of it?

[Mr_Gimper]

As far as I am aware, you are licenced for as many physical CPUs as you requested in the licence request.

The licence is for physical CPUs (I believe, as opposed to cores) and is based on the number of CPUs you requested.

I requested 100 CPU's and I have used the same licence on 2 dual core boxes. I can create VMs with 2 vCPUs

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Yes, the licensing is per physical processor (cores are not counted) so you could run ESXi on a server with up to 32 CPU cores (maximum supported - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35/vi3_35_25_config_max.pdf). A virtual machine itself could have 1 / 2 or 4 virtual CPUs and a vCPU will only ever run as fast as a single CPU core. So one 4 vCPU VM on a dual quad core box running at 100% would only use up 4 CPU cores. The other 4 would be idle (assuming no other VMs were running).

[Mr_Gimper]

32 cores ... that's just geek porn

[leproxxx]

I request a license for 4 CPU......But Licensed Feauters show me "ESX Server standalone Licensed for 1 CPU......"

[Mr_Gimper]

That will allow you to have up to 4 physical processors. It shows 1 cpu as the host you are running on has 1 cpu (I assume)