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SATA Support Clear as Mud!? posted: Dec 11, 2007 12:56 AM

Click to view The-Kevster's profile Enthusiast
The-Kevster
90 posts since
Mar 7, 2007
From the updated I/O sheet this is what's mentioned on supported SATA controllers....

Supported SAS/SATA Dual Controllers

ESX Server 3.5 supports selected SATA devices connected to dual SAS/SATA controllers. This support is limited to ESX Server 3.5. It is not included with ESX Server 3.0.x.

The supported dual SAS/SATA controllers are:

􀂄 mptscsi_2xx (PCIE) ‐ LSI1078

􀂄 mptscsi_pcie ‐ LSI1068E (LSISAS3442E)

􀂄 mptscsi_pcix ‐ LSI1068 (SAS 5)

􀂄 aacraid_esx30 ‐ IBM serveraid 8k SAS controller

􀂄 cciss ‐ Smart Array P400/256 controller

So what is the best PCIE card for me to put into my S5000PAL server that will use the above driver, if only someone could make a list :D


Thanks,

Kev

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

1. Dec 11, 2007 1:31 AM in response to: The-Kevster
Click to view The-Kevster's profile Enthusiast
The-Kevster
90 posts since
Mar 7, 2007
The HP Smart Array P400 Controller looks good, anyone have any opinions?

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

2. Dec 11, 2007 1:38 AM in response to: The-Kevster
Click to view blackforce's profile Novice
blackforce
30 posts since
Dec 8, 2007

im guessing over the next few weeks people will try different cards and report back what works.


Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

3. Dec 11, 2007 6:15 AM in response to: blackforce
Click to view divintas's profile Novice
divintas
74 posts since
Mar 20, 2006

FYI .... For my Test environment I used the ASUS KFN4-D16SAS. There is an LSI 1068 onboard. It worked with 3.0.2 and the noapic boot option. I'll try it with 3.5 asap and post if it works.

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

4. Dec 11, 2007 6:33 AM in response to: blackforce
Click to view mcwill's profile Expert
mcwill
396 posts since
Mar 13, 2006
Works great on a simple embedded Intel® ICH6R SATA controller

Motherboard is a Supermicro P8SCi

Each SATA channel is seen as a separate scsi controller.

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

5. Dec 11, 2007 6:39 AM in response to: The-Kevster
Click to view blackforce's profile Novice
blackforce
30 posts since
Dec 8, 2007

I have a HP ML115 and I can confirm that the onboard SATA does not work with 3.5.

It installs ESX and creates the VMFS on the drive. However when it reboots after install, comes up with

"mounting root failed"

Doh!!!

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

6. Dec 11, 2007 8:00 AM in response to: The-Kevster
Click to view The-Kevster's profile Enthusiast
The-Kevster
90 posts since
Mar 7, 2007
I've just spent £450 on two of these so hopefully they will work. I'll post my results on Thursday.

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

7. Dec 11, 2007 10:05 AM in response to: The-Kevster
Click to view ascheale's profile Enthusiast
ascheale
119 posts since
Jul 6, 2006

I would be glad if the 3Ware controllers will work.

Can someone check this ?

Regards, Alex

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

8. Dec 12, 2007 4:38 AM in response to: ascheale
Click to view jssoeldn's profile Lurker
jssoeldn
5 posts since
Feb 5, 2006
Neither an old 3ware 8006-2LP nor a brand new 9650SE-2LP seem to work.
I guess we're out of luck.

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

9. Dec 12, 2007 7:31 AM in response to: jssoeldn
Click to view ascheale's profile Enthusiast
ascheale
119 posts since
Jul 6, 2006

That makes me said :-(

Thank you for the info.

Alex

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

10. Dec 12, 2007 3:16 PM in response to: The-Kevster
Click to view tsugliani's profile Enthusiast
tsugliani
57 posts since
Jan 16, 2007
I'm quite sure all the supported devices are listed into the following ESX directory : /etc/vmware/pciid/*.xml

Check sata*.xml files :)


All models are listed there, with their IDs


Hope this helps.

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

11. Dec 12, 2007 11:04 PM in response to: tsugliani
Click to view ascheale's profile Enthusiast
ascheale
119 posts since
Jul 6, 2006

That sounds good.

Thanks

Alex

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

12. Dec 13, 2007 6:44 AM in response to: tsugliani
Click to view blackforce's profile Novice
blackforce
30 posts since
Dec 8, 2007

looking at the xml files I see that the Adaptec 1210sa card is supposidly compatible.

I've got one of these coming on monday.

I'll be sure to post the results.

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

13. Dec 15, 2007 2:07 AM in response to: blackforce
Click to view pdewild's profile Lurker
pdewild
7 posts since
Oct 14, 2007

Blackforce, any updates on the issue yet? As I'm looking into buying an ML115 for testing server.

I've got the same issue on my current white-box testing server, however, when I install on a "normal" IDE drive, it works! :)

(obviously the SATA disk is just a VMFS store then!)

Re: SATA Support Clear as Mud!?

14. Dec 15, 2007 3:02 AM in response to: pdewild
Click to view blackforce's profile Novice
blackforce
30 posts since
Dec 8, 2007
the card is set to be delivered on the 17th.

The ML115 SATA does not work. I have tried everything to get it working. Basically the onboard SATA controller is crap on it. It doesn't even do proper raid.

I tried :-

  • Installing as JBOD (mounting root failed)
  • Installing with raid 1 active (ESX still sees the disks as JBOD)
  • Installing with raid 0 active (ESX still sees the disks as JBOD)
  • installing with IDE as host for ESX and sata for VMFS (ESX cant see the SATA disk at all once booted)

I think the problem is that the kernel used during setup supports the controller, but the vmkernal dont. hence why we get the "mounting root failed"

I will post my findings once I have got the card and tested it.

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