ESXi 4 Support for Adaptec Unified SAS/Sata 2xxx 3xxx and 5xxx

[beng]

G'day All,

Well today we got around to looking at ESXi 4.0. So decided to install on a brand new Intel SR2600(S5520UR MB), with an Adaptec 2405.

Surpisingly the ICH10 controller is recognised but not the Adaptec, looking closely at the HCL, it seems that none of the Adaptec Unified controllers are supported, which was a shock, as they were all fully supported(Now) with 3.5 Update4.

So does anyone have any ideas as to why? Considering the rhetoric for vSphere was "more supported device" it is weird to lose an entire manufacturer.... It can't be 64Bit support, as Adaptec have a 64Bit driver.

We managed to get the installer to work under ICH10, but of course it still doesn't see the Adaptec.

At this stage we will roll back to ESXi 3.5 U4, but I hope this is a temporary issue resolved in vSphere 4.0 U1?

Seeing as Adpatec have released a premature press release..... which says " via an in-box driver," So that is weird, not sure what "box" they mean, becuase it's not in their downloads, KB, VMware HCLor the shoebox in my closet.

rgds Ben.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

This will show you what ESXi 4.0 can recognize http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/Hardware_support.php and what hardware support was dropped from 3.5 - http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/Hardware_support_removed.php.

[beng]

G'day Dave,

Thanks for the quick response, but I ran lspci -vn on a similar box (SR2500) with a 5405 Controller, as the SR2600 has no shell at the moment.

It came back with:

0b:00.0 Class 0104: 9005:0285 (rev 09)

Subsystem: 9005:02b6

But I can't find this in either of your lists?

Rgds Ben

[Dave_Mishchenko]

If it's not on the list then you can manually add it or wait for VMware to update simple.map.

[beng]

G'day Dave,

I don't think I was clear in my previous Post.

The Adaptec 5405 was detected under ESXi2.5 U4, which is what I ran the lspci -vn on to get the numbers above. So I am confused now, as the ID does not match any on either of your lists, so am I doing something wrong with my lspci query?

i.e the Vendor ID(9005) does match, but the Device ID(02b6) doesn't come up on either page. Also, I could not see any of the 2xxx/3xxx/5xxx adapters in the desc column.

So I wonder how was it working before?

Rgds Ben

[beng]

Since it looks like support for the Adaptec would not be quick to materialise. I figured I'd see what HBA's ARE on the HCL for ESXi 4.0.

All I need is a 4port SAS/SATA HBA that gives us RAID1 with a hot spare.

Now, perhaps I am being a bit naive but I would have expected something to show up.... but the search just gives me two Cisco FC Controllers, in contrast there is a whole range of controllers for for 3.5iU4

So, do we have any options at all, or is ESXi 4.0 just not supported for any specific HBA, only as part of "Systems"?

Seems like a backwards step to me....

I'm fine if we need to install 3.5iU4 now, and wait for an update, but can someone from VMware indicate if this is the case? I don't want my customers stuck in a no-mans land with servers we can't even upgrade....

Rgds Ben

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Here's the list for ESXi 3.5 U4 and the sub device ID isn't listed there also - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/ESXi3.5U4_simple.map.php. It may be the case that Adaptec has just not certified the card for ESX(i) 4.0 yet.

[beng]

Thanks Dave,

I think we may actually have a problem with the Adaptec 2405 card, as we just tried to load Windows 2008 Server, and it couldn't find the RAID either. So it may be a problem with the S5520UR MB and the Adaptec 2405....

Ben.

[beng]

Ok, it wasn't the card, it was the slot.....

The SR2600URBRP comes with a 2U riser that has3x PCIe slots and the following documentation:

2U PCI Express* Passive Riser (Product Order Code - ASR26XXFHR)

Three full-height PCI Express* connectors

Note: All PCI Express* add-in cards run at x8 speeds independent of population. The PCI

Express* x16 connectors utilize a x8 electrical connection.

So, reading the specs on the ASAR2405, it needs a PCIex8 slot.

We originally placed the card in the Bottom (x8) slot,then the replacement card in the Middle (x8) slot, still nothing .

After calling the great Intel Tech support, (and no I am not being sarcastic, they really are good, and try to help). They suggested the x16 slot. Bingo! It has now found the Array and is working as expected. Will update the Thread if we have any more issues with the 2405. But Intel if you read this.... What the hell?

Thanks to Dave for his help with the PCIID, ok, according to the ESXi 4.0 Logs, it finds a 9005:02D5, Which is not on Daves list above, but it works, so I am done complaining

Rgds Ben

Message was edited by: beng

Added PCI ID