VMware Communities: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430

9 Replies Last post: Aug 19, 2008 1:21 PM by SkyC

ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430

Aug 18, 2008 5:21 PM

GreenRabbit 5 posts since
Aug 18, 2008

I'm planning to purchase a small server for dev/test purposes to run free ESXi on it - is Dell SC1430 a good choice for that?
From the hardware specs I don't see any unsupported pieces, but maybe I'm missing something

Also, do I understand correctly that free ESXi license supports management by directly connected VI console?
With read-only RCLI and missing console, I see no other way to perform even very basic management

Tags: esxi_3.5, dell

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 18, 2008 6:01 PM

weinstein5 5,672 posts since
Nov 19, 2005 VMware

Welcome to the forums - first stop to check if a system supports esx is the HCL - https://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi35_systems_guide.pdf - to see if a system will support ESX but this does not necessary mean it will not - I did a quick scan and did not see it but perhaps someone else will step in if they have gotten it to work -

And yes the VI Client is how you manage your ESXi host -

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 18, 2008 7:25 PM

nick.couchman 4,969 posts since
Jan 13, 2006

You can also Google "esx whitebox" and look at some of the sites that come up for unofficially supported platforms - machines that VMware would not help you with if you encountered a problem on said platform, but that others have found to work.

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 18, 2008 7:41 PM

vSeanClark 33 posts since
Jun 5, 2008

No experience with the SC1430, but I've read that Scott Herold uses the Dell SC1435 in his lab: http://www.vmguru.com/content/view/42/64/

Just got back from helping a customer install ESX 3.5 Update 2 on a Dell R200. It's not on the HCL, but everytihng appeared to work well. We got one VM running on it now, so I assume everything is good. The customer is aware that he's on his own with this box if it melts down.

Hope that gives you some ideas for cheapo ESX servers for Dev/Test. BTW, you manage ESXi 3.5 with VMware Infrastructure Client just like managing the full blown ESX 3.5 server. Good luck!

-Sean Clark
http://vm.seanclark.us

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 18, 2008 8:50 PM

in response to: vSeanClark

GreenRabbit 5 posts since
Aug 18, 2008

Thanks everyone - yes, I found some references on SC1430, like this one - http://communities.vmware.com/message/838709
There are some issues reported with 3.5 (VT seems unsupported and thus 64 bit guests don't work), but no information on ESXi
Are there other servers in same price range ($700-$1000), tower form factor, known to work reliably?

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 19, 2008 9:49 AM

in response to: GreenRabbit

joelmattison 2 posts since
Aug 19, 2008

I currently have esxi installed on a 1430. It has worked flawlessly.

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 19, 2008 10:11 AM

in response to: joelmattison

GreenRabbit 5 posts since
Aug 18, 2008

Thank you
Did you have a chance to run 64bit guests on it? Do they work?
Also, which model of CPU and IO controller are installed there? Dell has quite a few options for this server

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 19, 2008 12:10 PM

in response to: GreenRabbit

joelmattison 2 posts since
Aug 19, 2008

CPU's are dual E5335's @ 2ghz ea, 8gb RAM, PERC 5i controller. I am currently running 3 64bit guests with this machine for a total of 8 guests in a production environment. It runs anything I throw at it.

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 19, 2008 12:38 PM

in response to: joelmattison

GreenRabbit 5 posts since
Aug 18, 2008

Excellent... was the embedded SATA controller recognized as well, or I need to use an additional one?

Reply Re: ESXi 3.5 update 2/Dell SC 1430 Aug 19, 2008 1:21 PM

in response to: GreenRabbit

SkyC 77 posts since
Apr 21, 2008

I have ESXi running on a single proc SC1430, the built in SATA controller was found on my system. I am running 64 bit OS's (my Exchange 2007 servers) with no issues.

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