Help with VMware Server Setup

[iadityaharsh]

Hardware I Have (ready to dedicated as ESXi Server):

AMD EPYC 7542 (32 cores/ 64 threads)
Supermicro H12SSL-I Motherboard
128GB ECC 3200MT/S RDIMM (4x 32GB)
1000W ATX PSU

2x PNY 120GB SATA SSDs             (On-Board SATA)
2x SAMSUNG 250GB SATA SSDs  (On-Board SATA)
2x SAMSUNG 1TB M.2 NVMe         (On-Board M.2)

4x SAMSUNG 2TB M.2 NVMe        (Asus Hyper x16 M.2 Card)
8x SEAGATE 14TB HDD                 (DELL HBA330)

3x 4GB Graphics Card                    (Nvidia Quadro T600)

My Goal:

A few questions that I have regarding the Setup process:

1) I want VMware ESXi v7 U3 to be installed on PNY 120GB SSDs in RAID-1 or MIRROR, How can I achieve this?
2) Can I pass through any kind of USB HID device like Keyboard / Mouse? (Wired or Wireless)
3) Can SATA Drives connected to the Motherboard be pass through to VMs?
4) Can I create Data storage inside ESXi for VMs in RAID-1 or MIRROR? If yes, How can I do that with 2x M.2 NVMe Drives?

Background:

I've had used Proxmox and UNRAID for around 2 years, but finally trying to switch to VMware for good. This Server will be deployed as a Core Server to my Organization where 3 employees will use the Windows VM as their only Desktop and remaining 10-15 will simply access the Network shares (SMB & iSCSI) via the TrueNAS Core VM.

[scott28tt]

Thread reported to moderators asking them to move it to the ESXi area so it gets the right audience.

I also have no idea why you sent me a PM.

[continuum]

1. ESXi 703 wants to have about 140 gb for a complete install.
4. To create Raid-arrays that can be used for datastores you need real hardware raid-controllers. ESXi does not detect "fake raids" like Windows hosts do it.

[iadityaharsh]

For 2.

I came accross this blogpost, how feasible this is?

https://williamlam.com/2020/05/how-to-passthrough-usb-keyboard-mouse-hid-and-ccid-devices-to-vm-in-e...

For Hardware raid, what are my options for NVMe, also I think my Supermicro Motherboard does support raid with some licence purchase ( I need to confirm that with the support team there)

I any case, which one would be better the onboard raid controller on the motherboard or a dedicated raid card?