4.0 ESXi and 3Ware 9650SE Raid 10 array - now what?

[wjstarck]

Hello-

I have installed 4.0 ESXi on a new server with the above mentioned RAID 10 array and have installed vSphere Client on a separate PC. Under storage adapters I see the following:

ICH10 2 port SATA IDE Controller

vmhba1 block SCSI

vmhba34 block SCSI

ICH10 4 port SATA IDE Controller

vmhba0 block SCSI

vmhba33 block SCSI

iSCSI Software Adapter

iSCI Software Adapter iSCSI

Mobo is a supermicro X8DAH+, 3Ware controller is a 9650SE SATA 8LPML (8 port) with 4 drives preconfigure RAID 10

How do I get ESXi to see the array so I can start installing VMs?

[AWo]

You should go to the "storage" section under the ESXi host configuration tab and create a VMFS partition on your LUNs.

On this VMFS partition are the guests stored.

http://pubs.vmware.com/vsp40u1_i/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.htm#href=server_config/t_add_local_st...

AWo

VCP 3 & 4

\[:o]===\[o:]

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[Scissor]

3Ware controller is a 9650SE SATA 8LPML (8 port) with 4 drives preconfigure RAID 10

How do I get ESXi to see the array so I can start installing VMs?

Perhaps this link will help? Looks like you need to install a driver for your RAID Controller:

http://kb.lsi.com/KnowledgebaseArticle15753.aspx#vmware

[wjstarck]

Problem is, the array isn't showing at all, which I assume is because no 3Ware drivers are loaded.

So where to load to the drivers from? ESXi has no option for install drivers locally, and I can't see anyway to do it from client.

???

[wjstarck]

Also, that directs me to http://kb.lsi.com/KnowledgebaseArticle15548.aspx

When I run the 4.0 ESXi setup DVD, there is no option anywhere to load additional drivers?

[Scissor · Accepted solution]

Also, that directs me to http://kb.lsi.com/KnowledgebaseArticle15548.aspx

Yes, that link appears to have pretty detailed instructions on how to install the specific driver under both ESX and ESXi.

When I run the 4.0 ESXi setup DVD, there is no option anywhere to load additional drivers?

According to the article, your RAID device can only be used as secondary storage under ESXi. If that is the case, I would first install ESXi to a small local SATA disk or USB key. After the initial installation you can then follow the directions in the linked article to upload/install the driver for your RAID controller. Then you can use your RAID array to store your Guests on.

[wjstarck]

Standby. I may not have read down far enough in the KB article. Looks like I should be doing CLI install from client...