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fredr3k
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Nvidia Quadro <3 vSphere 5.1?

I assume that many of you with exictement have read through all news in vSphere 5.1

What cought my eye in View point of view was this:

"

Improved 3D Graphics Support – (View Only) –  hardware acceleration with possiblity to leverage NVIDIA’s hardware  cards installed in ESXi server, where those graphics cards are  virtualized and used in View Desktops. It’s targeted for graphics  intensive workloads, CAD designers, medical imaging etc…

NVIDIA Quadro 4000/5000/6000 and NVIDIA Tesla M2070Q are supported graphics cards.  Note that the ESXi Image profile must be installed with the NVIDIA GPU VIB file."

It certainly raises some questions for me:

a) The Nvidia GPU VIB-files is that free of charge or is it licensed from Nvidia or Vmware?

b) Have anyone tested 5.1 with Quadro-cards (and VMware Techie out there?) Pros? Cons?

c) Is the GPU fully accessible from the View guest or is there some kind of abstraction layer in between? After some research it seems like the abstraction layer is utilizing Xorg in a clever way.

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getut
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That said...you *MUST* have more than one video card in the box.  The  one you're trying to pass through is going to be claimed by and  dedicated to the guest VM you're trying to tie it to.  But your host  needs a video card too...I think that might be why you're seeing the  error you're getting, you've taken away the host's video card by  dedicating it to the VM.

Matt,

Are you saying that each VM must have its own dedicated video card?  i.e. multiple guests cannot share the GPU?

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Linjo
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Its not yet possible to utilise a shared a GPU using released VMware/NVIDIA software.

If you have an interest in trying this I would advise to contact you local salesteam/SE:s and see if they can assist you.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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runitsaaron
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Now that Horizon View 5.2 is out, is the vib available?

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Linjo
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Correct, Horizon View 5.2 is GA, the VIB should you get from Nvidia as any other driver. Have not checked if its there yet, if its not please contact Nvidia and ask when they will publish it.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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nicobal
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Has anyone of you guys been able to get hold of that VIB from nVIDIA or VMware?
I'm all up and running with VMware Horizon Suite 5.2 and now would like to set up vSGA.
Cheers 😉

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Linjo
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In this thread a user clamed that he got it from Nvidia support, you could try that:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/2210555#2210555

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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drxzeeh
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Hi guys,

I did too email nvidia asking for the VIB file. I did get it attached to their answer.

Now i installed the vib file on my ESXi host and installed nvidia grid. Im using a quadro 4000 and after rolling out a new pool using the "hardware" option in VMware view i sitll get the "host is not compatible"

Anyone of you have an idea how i can fix this?  google is not really helping me on this matter!


Thanks in advance.

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Bhargava_Shriva
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Hi Guys,

Finally most awaited VIB file is realized and available for download.

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Linjo
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Is the xorg service started?

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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drxzeeh
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how could i check that ?

thanks

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Linjo
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Using the vCenter Client, select the host > configuration > Security Profile > click "Properties" next to "Services" > scroll down to xorg.

If the status is not "Running" try to select options and start.

If it does not start then the driver does not load properly and we need to do some more checking why not.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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drxzeeh
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i started the xorg service, after that i tried to start the vm using the "hardware" option.

still get the same thing,  no host found for powering on the virtual machine

device videocard is not supported. this is a general limitation.

Hope you can help me, 


Thanks again haha!

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Linjo
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Hmm, not seen that before.

What hardware version does the vm have? Needs to be version 9. (vmx-9)

Can you issue the command "gpuvm" on the console or in a ssh session and post the result back?

Please also post the vmware logfile that is created in the same directory as the vm resides.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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drxzeeh
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when i try to do gpuvm in ssh it wont do anything.

same goes for the console ( tried them both)

when i do vib list is does recognize the driver file i got from vmware.

when i look at configure pass trough it does see the quadro 4000.

Its a weird story i guess!

the vm's all have hardware version 9

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Linjo
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Ok, then the driver does not load properly and we need to figure out why.

Could it be that the console is using the Quadro 4000 and will block it from loading the driver?

For vSGA to work you need to have the console on a builtin or another addin GPU and that one set to primary display adapter.

vSGA is not using passthrough so that is a red herring.

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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drxzeeh
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There is no onboard gpu available. so if i put a lets say quadro 600 for the console, it's likely to use the 4000 for the vm's?

Great, going to try that right away, let me get back to you on that in a few

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Linjo
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Yes, that should work.

You will know when it works when the gpuvm-command gives you some output regards to memory etc.

Keep us updated!

// Linjo

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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drxzeeh
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Well its not working yet, though my workday is over. will be coming back on this on monday.


Thanks for now and hope to get this owrking with your help.


many thanks for now,

DrxzEEh

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Linjo
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Here is a small list of CLI commands for troubleshooting of vSGA

gpuvm     

Show what VMs are using gpu(s)

Esxcli software vib install –v /path-to-vib/name-of-vib.vib

Loads the NVIDIA VIB

esxcli software vib list | grep NVIDIA

Verify NVIDIA vib is installed

Esxcli system module load –module nvidia

Verify NVIDIA module loads

Esxcli hardware pci list –c 0x300 –m 0xff

Verify devices are present

nvidia-smi

General status of the GPU / driver version

Best regards, Linjo Please follow me on twitter: @viewgeek If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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Bhargava_Shriva
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Hi All,

  • I have installed VIB file for ESXi 5.1 Host (Quadro 4000)
  • Xorg is running which helps for H/W 3D acceleration.
  • In vmware View 5.2 we have set for H/W 3D acceleration.

Doing all there still we are getting SVGA 3D display not VSGA display.

I can see GPU getting utilized by VMs

~ # gpuvm
Xserver unix:0, GPU maximum memory 2076672KB
        pid 12830, VM "SME-VW-23", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13013, VM "SME-VW-32", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13178, VM "SME-VW-72", reserved 131072KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13255, VM "SME-VW-55", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13298, VM "SME-VW-53", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13410, VM "SME-VW-51", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        GPU memory left 921600KB.
Xserver unix:1, GPU maximum memory 2076672KB
        pid 12888, VM "SME-VW-24", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13152, VM "SME-VW-34", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13201, VM "SME-VW-56", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13275, VM "SME-VW-54", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13388, VM "SME-VW-52", reserved 204800KB of GPU memory.
        pid 13695, VM "SME-VW-36", reserved 205312KB of GPU memory.

But how do i achive vSGA still all my VMs are showing svga as dispaly not vSGA.

Thanks in advance Smiley Happy

Regards,

Bhargava K.

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