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Safar
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Using USB port in ESXi 4 host machine

Is it possible to connect to USB ports in the host server from the VM ? Documentation says USB controller does not work with ESXi. Is there any work around ?

Thanks

Safar

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Dave_Mishchenko
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If you have a recent server that supports Intel Directed I/O / AMD IOUMMU then you can try VMDirectPath - http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/VMDirectPath/USB_Setup.php.




Dave

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lamw
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Nope, it's not supported.

=========================================================================

William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

Twitter: @lamw

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

VMware Developer Comuunity

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

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Modzog
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Thats a bad news Smiley Sad

I moved from VMware Server to ESXi recently and now I regret it.

Id rather had slugish VMware Server than partialy functional ESXi.

Ill have to move back or find something else If there is something else with decent USB support for free (I doubt that).

Anyway thanks for the information. I could have find that in advance and save me a lot of work.

I just took for granted that VMware supports USB. Stupid me :-).

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Dave_Mishchenko
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If you have a recent server that supports Intel Directed I/O / AMD IOUMMU then you can try VMDirectPath - http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/VMDirectPath/USB_Setup.php.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

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Safar
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So is it possible to have VMDirect path to an onboard USB controller ? Or is it possible only to a PCI Bridge USB controller ?

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Dave_Mishchenko
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You can use the onboard controller. Just take care if you're booting ESXi from USB. http://www.vm-help.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1761




Dave

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Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

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Modzog
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Thank you Smiley Happy

I got fairly recent HW (Dell PE2970, Quad-Core AMD Opteron 2350) but im unable to find out if it support AMD IOUMMU or not

So far it look that it doesnt.I havent exhusted all options yet Smiley Happy

Whether it supports IOUMMU or not thank you for your effort to help Smiley Happy

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Safar
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I got the Data Sheet for Intel processor and Chipset of my R610 Server from Dell Tech Support. They should be able to provide the same for AMD as well.

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Formatter
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I picked up a cheap epci usb card and droped it into my Dell T610 did the VMdirectpath setup and the VM setup and now can connect a usb device to a usb port on that card and allow access from the vm. It does not seem to work as usb 2 but it does work.

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DSTAVERT
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What do you need to do? If this is for a dongle or some other non disk type device then the easiest way is to use a network USB hub. AnywhereUSB, Belkin, Silex, Keyspan allow you to connect USB devices to a VM. They are typically USB 1.1 speeds and 10/100 network so they do not do well for disk access. They do work for things like dongles although YMMV. I have used a Silex device and it works quite well for many different devices including printers.

If you need disk access then I would use a NAS / NFS device that allows USB hotplug. Attach the NFS device as a datastore.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
Safar
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My purpose is to connect a USB license key to the VM. I tried VM Direct path to an On Board USB controller, but could not make it work. Now I should try with either a Network USB or an epci USB card

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Formatter
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I got an off the shelf pcix usb card and installed it and then I was able to use that card and allow passthrough of the usb ports to the VM's. although they are only usb 1.1 they work fine. Hope that helps. the card is a StarTech PEXUSB4DP 4 Port PCI Express High Speed USB Card - PCI, USB 2.0 from Tiger Direct.

Let me know if this works for you also and I have it on ESXi but I dont believe it is a supported feture but mine has been working for a while now I think 3 months.

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Safar
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Good news is that I got it working on my Dell R610 Server. Enabled

pass-through for the USB controllers (I saw the USB controllers as PCI).

Then I could add the PCI device to my VM. It did work fine with my USB

license keys. Only problem was identifying the correct hardware id for

the USB port. I found it through trial and error.

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Dave_Mishchenko
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Only problem was identifying the correct hardware id for the USB port. I found it through trial and error.

If you plug in a USB device and then check /var/log/messages it'll log what device it was plugged into.






Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

ilya83
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I use VMDirectPath. USB Flash (storage device) - work, but USB Key (Security device) - doesn't work... WHY? Smiley Sad

ESXi 4.0 (HP Proliant ML350 G6)

Thanks...

Sorry for my English Smiley Happy

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