Conflicting VIB when upgrading to 6.5 -- Safe to remove this?

[tehinternet]

This is a Dell PowerEdge M630, using ESXi downloads provided by dell for this server and the hardware is compatible with ESXi 6.7

I upgraded from ESXi 5.5 to 6.0 with no issues.   6.0 to 6.5 threw this:

which appears to be regarding the LSI SCSI driver.

While SSH'd into the host:

[root@HOST:~] esxcli software vib list | grep LSI

scsi-megaraid-perc9            6.901.57.00-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820       LSI       VMwareCertified   2019-10-14

scsi-mpt3sas                   04.00.00.00.1vmw-1OEM.500.0.0.472560   LSI       VMwareCertified   2019-10-14

Here is an attempt to see what drivers are in use:

[root@HOST:~] esxcfg-scsidevs -a

vmhba38 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba38                            (0000:00:1f.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba39 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba39                            (0000:00:1f.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba0  lsi_mr3           link-n/a  sas.544a842031c5c000                    (0000:02:00.0) LSI / Symbios Logic PERC H730 Mini (blade)

vmhba1  ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba1                             (0000:00:11.4) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba2  ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba2                             (0000:00:1f.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba40 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba40                            (0000:00:1f.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba41 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba41                            (0000:00:1f.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba42 iscsi_vmk         online    iqn.1998-01.com.vmware:vm-08-187a21de   iSCSI Software Adapter

vmhba32 usb-storage       link-n/a  usb.vmhba32                             () USB

vmhba34 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba34                            (0000:00:11.4) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba35 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba35                            (0000:00:11.4) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba36 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba36                            (0000:00:11.4) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

vmhba37 ahci              link-n/a  sata.vmhba37                            (0000:00:1f.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller

I am not seeing any mpt3sas or scsi-mpt3sas referenced.   Does this mean it would be safe for me to run a:

[root@HOST:~]  esxcli software vib remove -f --vibname scsi-mpt3sas

Without killing my RAID array?

I'd like to think so, but I am not expert on this and don't fully know how to interpret the results of "esxcfg-scsidevs -a" to 100% know for sure if the driver/VIB is used or not.

Thanks.

[tayfundeger]

nothing happens when you delete this vib file. Because after the upgrade, the new version of this vib file will be installed. Therefore, the raid controller will not be damaged if you delete it.

[tehinternet]

Thanks, and that's good to know.

So I have a better understanding of things, in the OP,  was that demonstrating that the VIB/driver was not in use at all since it's not listed when running "esxcfg-scsidevs -a" ?

[tayfundeger]

In ESXi, more than one driver comes by default. These are included in ESXi, whether used or not. When you make a hardware change, it is immediately active.

[tehinternet]

Oh, so these are not drivers for the host to use physical resources connected to it?   These are drivers for guests to use resources through the hypervisor, that's why it's safe to simply delete one and upgrade?

Is this a correct summary?

I ask because I'm still trying to wrap my mind around how deleting a storage driver without determining if it's used is safe and simply assuming the new version of ESXi will place a replacement driver there that works.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me understand this.

[tayfundeger · Accepted solution]

Yes Correct

Of course, from time to time in the upgrade stages I encounter. I can't upgrade because of a driver I've never used. In such a case, I delete the vib file and continue the upgrade.