ESXi 3.5 / 4.0 on Supermicro Server

[yossie]

First question here. Any help is greatly appreciated.

The servers are: 1) Supermicro X7DBR with onboard raid and 2) Supermicro X7DBU with a raid card from Areca Technologies (ARC-1680-ix24)

For server #1, I can see individual drives, but not the RAID5 volume I created from BIOS. For server #2, it just doesn't detect any storage device. I have tried both ESX3.5 as well as 4.0. I tried setting up on a USB pen drive and can boot, but can't see the storage devices.

I checked the HCL and I don't think they are supported. Wondering if anyone has had success installing and working on these servers with RAID. What are my chances of using these servers with ESXi?

Thanks!

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Welcome to the VMware Community forums. For the one server it sounds like you have a software RAID controller and hence ESXi only sees the individual drives. For the Areca controller, check their web site. They do have an ESX(i) driver (not sure if it was for ESX(i) 4.0) and I'm not sure it was for your model of controller. See this link for what ESXi can recognize without additional drivers - http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/Hardware_support.php.

Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

New book in town - vSphere Quick Start Guide -http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/08/12/new-book-in-town-vsphere-quick-start-guide/.

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL - http://www.vm-help.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=21.

[richardRparker]

Hello Yossie,

The Supermicro X7DBR server has an embedded hardware RAID module which can be turned off (thereby turning the hard disks into IDE devices.)

Please email support AT supermicro DOT com to get more info on how to do this. It will have to be changed in the BIOS. (At least that is what I had to do with my Supermicro)

It turned out that there were other limitations with me putting ESX on my Supermicro server.

The other server's RAID controller would have to be on HCL or be recognized by ESX to be a usable approved device for IO operations.

If ESX cannot find a driver for it, it will not try to make a driver fit it.

Rick

[ninyop]

Which m/b do you have? X7DBR-?

Thanks

[yossie]

Thank you, folks. We are using X7DBR-i+.

The vendor is providing us with RAID cards that will work on these two servers. So that is a relief. I am doing my planning work on setting up the RAID volumes. I will post a separate question seeking pointers on that.

RichardParker: What other problems did you face installing ESX on your supermicro server? We're going to be using ESXi, but it is good to know more.

Again, thank you for your time.

Mani

[ninyop]

Mani,

X7BDR-i+ does not have any h/w RAID controller. The RAID you can create comes from ESB2 southbridge and it is f/w raid which is not supported by ESX .

SATA	Intel ESB2 SATA 3.0Gbps Controller RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 support (Windows Only) RAID 0, 1, 10 support (Linux)

[Wentil]

Hi Ninyop,

What if you add the optional Supermicro AOC-LPZCR2 Zero Channel RAID card?

This way it will no longer be using the motherboard / BIOS solution, but the card.

Will ESXi 4.0 recognize this, then as a RAID controller?

-- Wentil

[Josh26]

Hi Wentil,

This post is several months old and anyone previously involved is unlikely to still be concerned by it.

You have a new question - I would make a new post.