Intel-VT Features and VMware Support of those Features?

[aaronwsmith]

Hello Everyone,

Intel published a helpful article in 2010 about the various virtualization technology (Intel VT) features offered, and which processor families supported those individual features:

Enabling Intel Virtualization Technology Features and Benefits

The guide even provided information on which Vendors such as VMware had enabled support for those individual features.

Problem I'm facing now is finding up-to-date information on the following:

• Any new Intel-VT features added?
• Which features from Intel-VT are supported by processors from the latest families.  For example, what's supported by the E5-4600 series?
• Which features from Intel-VT does VMware currently support across ESXi versions?

This information would make CPU selections much easier, but I'm struggling to find current information that goes this deep.  Anyone aware of useful sources to pull this data together?

Thanks in advance!

[admin]

See ESX(i) Support of Intel VT-x and AMD-V Features.

[aaronwsmith]

Thanks!  This is a great resource!  I'm not looking for any specific feature, rather looking for a guide (like the one you created) that could help us when selecting Intel processors that contain specific Intel VT features that VMware supports.  That way when we find we'll benefit from specific feature(s), knowing VMware's support for them will drive which processor(s) we ultimately select.

Any good guide you've found that helps map the Intel-VT features to specific Intel processors on the market?  That's the final piece of the puzzle for me.

[OscarDavey]

Hello,

These are all models and specifications of E5-4600 family processors.

Hope helped you.

http://ark.intel.com/compare/64606,64622,64603,64607,64608,64602,64604,64609,65520,75043

[admin]

Enabling Intel® Virtualization Technology Features and Benefits I/O Hardware Assist Features of Intel® Virtualization Technology for Connectivity (Intel® VT-C)

Virtual Machine Device Queue The Virtual Machine Device Queue (VMDQ) feature is a hardware assist in the Intel networking silicon that improves data processing

performance by improving throughput and lowering CPU utilization. This is a more effective way of sorting and grouping data packets at the NIC instead of the VMM.

Intel VMDQ on Intel® Ethernet controllers can lower CPU utilization and improve LAN throughput by supporting:

• Reduced decisions/data copies by VMM switch

• VM transmit fairness with round-robin servicing

• Operation that is independent from Intel VT-d On the new Intel® 82576 and 82599 10- Gigabit Ethernet controllers, Intel VMDQ provides:

• Flexible bandwidth allocation per VM (only on Intel 82599 Ethernet Controller)

• Hardware support for VM-to-VM loop-back

• Broadcast/multicast replication in hardware