Assign a HBA to a VM in ESXi 4

[rodenis]

In an DellPowerEdge R900 (Intel Xeon), with ESXi 4 and a storage, want to assign one of three HBA`s (ISP2432 -4Gb) to a VM so I can install TSM and perform lan free backup from that VM, I understand that it`s posible with ESX/ESXi 4, the Intel Nehalem platforms and some QLA xxx HBA`s. It`s there another way to do this with Intel Xeon platform?

Thanks

[Troy_Clavell]

I am unaware of the ability to assign virtual HBAs to any of the VMware Products Guests.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

If the host supports it, you can use VMDirectPath to assign a PCI device to a VM. In the BIOS you may have to enable the option (it may be listed as VT-d or VT for Direct I/O). Once you have it enable, go to the Configuration Tab in the VI client and select Advanced Settings (in the Hardware section). This is where you'll enable DirectPath for the host and specify which devices to allocate for this. This may require a host restart to enable.

After you've done that and the device shows as being enable for DirectPath you can edit the settings for the VM (it'll need to be powered down) and you can then add the PCI device. Only certain devices are officially supported for this.

>> VMDirectPath I/O for networking I/O devices is fully supported with the Intel 82598 10 Gigabit Ethernet Controller and Broadcom 57710 and 57711 10 Gigabit Ethernet Controller. This feature is experimentally supported for storage I/O devices with the QLogic QLA25xx 8Gb Fibre Channel, the Emulex LPe12000 8Gb Fibre Channel, and the LSI 3442e-R and 3801e (1068-chip based) 3Gb SAS adapters.

[RParker]

VM so I can install TSM and perform lan free backup from that VM, I understand that it`s posible with ESX/ESXi 4, the Intel Nehalem platforms and some QLA xxx HBA`s

I think you are confused, it's not possible to do this. What you MAY be referring to is NPIV, which allows you to set a VM to have it's own WWN/WPN on Fiber so it APPEARS as a separate device for zoning and RDM, but you can't assign an HBA directly to a VM.

If this IS a feature on ESX it wouldn't matter if it was on Nehalem or not, that is an ESX feature not a hardware feature, so it would work across the board.

[Troy_Clavell]

learn something new everyday. Thanks, Dave!

[RParker]

If the host supports it, you can use VMDirectPath to assign a PCI device to a VM

OK, I see where this would work, however I thought he meant having 3 HBA, taking one out of the pool and assigning it (exclusively) to a VM. This is just a shared path still, and that VM doesn't have access only to the path it just allows the VM to have more direct access (sharing the bandwidth, without going through the HyperVisor)

[rodenis]

VMDirectPath I/O Generation 1, support assign a PCI device (physical NIC or physical HBA) to a VM, but only with HBA`s Qlogic QLA25xx 8Gb FC (experimental) and Intel 82598 10 Gibabit ethernet (full)

It`s a way to do something similar?

Thanks

[rodenis]

Thank Dave!, but if I don`t have that specific hardware it`s not posible? Correct?

[Dave_Mishchenko · Accepted solution]

I've done it in the lab with a TV tuner card in my lab so you can potentially do any piece of hardware. But with your HBA you wouldn't be supported so you have to consider that.

[rodenis]

Thanks again!