VM DirectPath I/O Configuration with FusionIO Card

[peteri]

Hello.

I would like to configure a VM to use a FusionIO ioDrive with VM DirectPath. I belive that this would allow me to install the drivers for this device in the VM and have native access to it inside the VM.

My question is this - do you have to have functioning drivers in ESXi first in order to enable the card as a pass-through? Or will I just see an unidentified PCI device that I can pass through to the VM (And then use the drivers inside the VM to communicate with it).

Thanks in advance,

Peter

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Welcome to the VMware Communities forums. You'll need a motherboard that supports AMD IOMMU or Intel Directed I/O (VT-d). Once you have enabled that feature in the BIOS you can use the steps here to configure VMDirectpath. http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1010789

You do not require ESXi drivers for the device that you want to pass through into a VM.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[jasonlitka]

It's worth mentioning that not all cards work with DirectPath. I have a Digium PRI interface card that uses a PCI-to-PCI-e bridge on the board and the passthrough didn't work correctly because DirectPath only let me passthrough the PCI device, not the PCI-e bridge as well, and the driver for the card flaked out when loaded inside a VM.

Jason Litka

[mudha]

Can we add fusion IODrive as passthrough to the VMs?

Is there any document on this?

Thank You