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Asteroza
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Supermicro MicroCloud (first and second gen)?

HI folks,

Recently have been looking at blade, pseudo-blade, and 1U multiple server systems for a space constrained situation. A lot of the newer super high density ones tend to be restricted to low TDP CPU's though, so that tends to limit raw GHz, and subsequently single threaded performance for apps in VM's, or it least I get that impression. That, or they cost an arm and a leg. However, Supermicro has an interesting chassis called the MicroCloud that caught my eye.

http://www.supermicro.com.tw/products/nfo/MicroCloud.cfm

There seems to be anecdotal evidence that the first gen xeon E3 based Supermicro MicroCloud pseudo-blade servers can run ESXi 4.1, but it's hard to tell based on the VMware HCL. Can anyone step up and say definitively that they are running such a configuration?

Also, the newer second gen E5 based MicroCloud servers will be out soon, but again, as far as the HCL is concerned, it may not run. Considering many E5 based systems are either going through qualification or have completed qualification recently, is it reasonable that a forthcoming update/patch to ESXi 4.1 for E5 based system compatibility will come out, or will it end up being an ESXi 5 exclusive?

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Asteroza
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Did the HCL list get updated recently? Getting some results now...

First gen Microcloud (5037MC-H8TRF) uses Intel PCH 204, get a result for ESXi 5.0U1 for PCH AHCI

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=20753&deviceCat...

Second gen Microcloud (5037MR-H8TRF) uses Intel C602J, get a result for ESXi 5.0U1 for 600 series chipsets

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=20567&deviceCat...

So the HCL has no ESXi 4.1 listings. Maybe if we are lucky we might see something for ESXi 4.1U3, if that ever comes out. Anyone currently running an ESXi 4.1 Microcloud first gen? Running 5 on a first gen isn't terrible since it is already capped at 32GB anyways, but having the memory freedom of 4.1 would be nice. Second gen has much more memory capacity, so 4.1 is more attractive.

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Asteroza
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So there is a Supermicro board with both 4.1U1 and 5.0 support according to Supermicro...

http://www.supermicro.com.tw/support/resources/OS/C600_listing1.cfm

Specifically, the X9SRA. This lists a C602 chipset. But, there's no mention of this on the VMware HCL (though it doesn't generally seem to list up Supermicro motherboards much). If the information about the 5.0 driver calling it a 600 series driver, one could assume 602 and 606 are in the same series. So, if there exists 4.1U1 support for a chipset of the same series, then there should be compatibility...

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