IBM Servers vSphere 6 customizations

[HendersonD]

Does anyone know when there will be a release of a vSphere 6 with the IBM customizations? The IBM website only goes up to ESXi 5.5 U1

http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/x/os/vmware/

With Lenovo purchasing the IBM server line I am not sure where development on this stands. We are hoping to upgrade to vSphere 6 this summer and am hoping the customized version is released by July.

[williambishop]

Generally, they are about 4-6 months behind GA cycle...so expect it in a couple months. Personally, I prefer to stick with the stock install on IBM gear, it generally does extremely well and is solid. On Cisco we use the custom ISO, but with IBM, I almost always use the VMware build.

[HendersonD]

We have 3 blades in our IBM Bladecenter H chassis devoted to server virtualizaton and 5 blades used for View. Two years ago when we installed these new HS23 blades we had an issue using the VMWare build. It was only when we switched to the IBM custom build did the issue go away. I can't recall the exact details but I thought it had something to do with networking and the two 10Gig BNT/IBM switches in the back of the chassis.

Any idea whether it is IBM or Lenovo prepping the customized VMWare build?

Besides the customized build, the other piece is getting the HS23 blades listed on the VMWare support list for vSphere 6. I would not want to jump to vSphere 6 until both of these items are in place. Historically HP and Dell are quick to release customized versions of vSphere for their servers and IBM has been much slower. My fear is with the purchase by Lenovo that this has been slowed down further and I will not see a customized build of vSphere 6 or my servers listed as supported with vSphere 6 until fall or winter.

[williambishop]

Ah yes, the BNT stuff. Yes, you would either do custom or install the drivers yourself on that one. I think it will still be IBM, not lenovo, at least on this first release. It will take a bit of time to transition over, and the purchase still hasn't even fully shaken out yet...that will take months, if not years to fully complete.

[Bleeder]

For some reason IBM/Lenovo stopped updating that page (amidst several other important pages since the transition).  You can find newer ESXi customizations under the individual support/downloads pages for the servers.  As of 5.5 U2, the customized bits are rebranded as 'Lenovo'.  Still nothing for 6.0 yet.  As mentioned above, they are generally several months behind on releases, including update releases.  This usually places them last after all the other big vendors.

Regarding running stock versus customized.. I've been burned by running stock in the past, but things may have changed over the years.  Just be sure you have it on paper that IBM/Lenovo will support you on a stock release.  Otherwise be sure that your management is ok with the risk of non-support (again, on paper.. print out the email!).

[HendersonD]

When you go to Lenovo's site, click support and choose the server line it take you directly to an IBM site. You are correct, the IBM site has not been updated since last summer. IBM use to put out updates periodically to Advanced Management Module firmware, blade chassis switch firmware, and various updated to blades themselves but all of this has stopped.

[Bleeder]

Well, yesterday the Lenovo Custom Image for ESXi 6.0 was published to VMware's site.  Take note of the release date compared to all the other vendor images...   I'm still unable to find the standalone IBM/Lenovo customization patch bundle for systems that are already running 6.0.

https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/info?slug=datacenter_cloud_infrastructure/vmware_vsphere/6_0#cust...

[gbattiston]

been a while since this post was updated... Is there any word or reason that anyone knows why the IBM HS23 platform is not supported? 

[vervoortjurgen]

since the take over from system wx to lenovo it will take a while

dont think they will release a custom image cause never found for lenovo one

use the vmware release and make sure you have all the correct VIB files for all your hardware

[Bleeder]

Regarding the HS23, that's a good question.  Not even the HS23 with the E5-2600 v2 processors are on the HCL yet.  And those systems were less than a year and a half old when vSphere 6 was released (3+ months ago now).  How's that for an investment?

PS - Note that the newer HS23 is listed as tested with vSphere 6 on IBM's ServerProven page (IBM ServerProven Compatibility), but that's not the same as being on VMware's HCL.

[whing]

https://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=migr-5098036

Just the VIB CIMs

[HendersonD]

Lenovo has released a customized version of ESXi 6.0 U1a which is the good news

https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI60U1A-LENOVO&productId=491

The bad news is my 8 HS23 blades are not certified to run it according to this

Lenovo Server Operating System Interoperability Guide > Lenovo Press

https://lenovopress.com/redposig.pdf‌   Page 86

The v2 of the HS23 is certified to run ESXi 6 but not the first generation HS23. I purchased these 8 blades 3.5 years ago so I was hoping I could upgrade them to ESXi 6.0, run them for another 18 months and then look to purchase new servers

Any idea if the HS23 will ever be certified to run ESXi 6?

[cyberfed2727]

@HendersonD,

How can I check my HS23's to see if they are V2 or not? I wasn't working here when our current HS23's were bought.

When I look on the bladecenter management module it shows as HS23 (Type 7875).

VMware shows the Processor as: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2665 0 @ 2.40GHz

[ObibiniKwasi]

This should be it https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI60U1A-LENOVO&productId=491&download...