SD card as storage for ESXi 4 supported?

[Useless1]

Hi,

We have some new BL460C G6's which have an SD card slot...

If I had purchased my VMware from HP I know I could buy an SD card and install on there no problems...

However I purchased it from VMware (How stupid!) and I cannot find any official documentation from VMware to clarify whether this is supported or not (And if not I am going to have to buy some SAS disks!)

Thanks

[Gerrit_Lehr]

HP seems to support and but I'm not sure if that is enough since you got VMware directly...

there is another post regarding this but on Dell Servers:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1246384;jsessionid=1D9BF0C6C221262EEAF66F2A78F5FF14

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

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[Useless1]

Hi,

Yes and thats the problem...

To be honest I am getting pretty fed up of this whole HP/VMware support argument but it keeps coming up...

I want to ideally install the HP version of ESXi on an HP SD card, but since I bought the sodding licences from a VMware reseller and not HP I feel a bit stuck in the middle...

I tried to phone VMware support (London number) and got some minion who did not have a clue what I was trying to ask and just kept saying

"I dont know, you will need to call HP"

To which I said

"Look I have a Gold support contract with you not HP, so can you please help me..."

I ended up hanging up in sheer frustration...

If anyone out there can put this issue to bed once and for all and back it up with a VMware contact or KB article or support matrix document which specifically says VMware will support HP's ESXi and an install on an SD card I would be extremely appreciative...

[Dave_Mishchenko]

See page 14 for what is supported for ESXi Installable - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf

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.

[Gerrit_Lehr]

https://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=HPVM05

On that one it says:

"Hewlett-Packard

customers that have purchased software support and subscription for the VMware

and Citrix products can contact their local HP support center for software

services. Visit

[

www.hp.com/go/vmware|http://www.hp.com/go/vmware]

to learn more about Service and Support."

I would indeed go and contact HP to see if any SnS is enough, regardless whether you got it from HP or from VMware.

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

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[Useless1]

Hi,

OK I dig that...

Page 14 firstly no SD cards are even mentioned so I am not sure how HP is doing this? Secondly:

USB devices - Supported for installing ESXi 4.0. For a list of supported USB devices, see the Hardware

Compatibility Guide at .

So I go to this website and I go to Storage/SAN basic search USB and surprise surprise nothing

So I go to the next tab IO Devices basic search USB and surprise surprise nothing again!

[bulletprooffool]

I am fairly certain that using an SD will be fully supported by BOTH HP and VMware - irrespective of who you bought your kit from. (It all boils down to who your support agreement is with)

We built all our Hosts on HP kit, ordered from HP . . .using ESX software downloaded from VMware, with HP providers etc.

We use USB keys and VMware provide our support - we have no issues with support - in fact I have been very impressed by the support . . and have NEVER been asked where the key comes form except when there was a known issue with the green USB keys that HP used to provide.

[Matt0]

HP has an official supported SD card and USB Stick for use with their servers. The SD card is a Kingston 2 GB

Here is the part number, which can be purchased for ~$8 - $15

HP-SD/2GB-S

Here is a CDW page

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?edc=1782539&cm_mmc=sendtec-_-adwords-_-CDW_Skus-_-HP_S...

[Gebb]

Hi,

My first post here but hopefully I can make it a good one. think the answer you seek can be found in the attached pdf from HP. To my knowledge there is no such thing as a HP version of ESXi. HP will support ESXi approved formatted flash media devices which are outlined again in the attached pdf. This is a new release specifically for vSphere. Prior to the release of vSphere HP referred me to http://www.kingston.com/hpoffer/ which points to the "HP-SD/2GB-S" but this is not referenced in the new document and as such HP may no longer support is for vSphere. I am a Solutions Architect for an IT firm which are HP Premier Partners and VMware Enterprise Partners. At time of writing this this, this is the only supported way of booting ESXi vSphere on HP servers.

Hope this helps

EDIT: Also see here https://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/printable/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=HPVM06