vSwitchUSB0??

[golddiggie]

I've installed ESXi5 onto some new IBM host servers (x3650 M3 and x3550 M3) most onto USB flash drives (internal connection, but the x3550 has it installed to actual spindle drives). On all of these new hosts, I see a vSwitchUSB0 item within the Networking configuration. Even if I remove the vSwitch, it gets automatically recreated. What is that for? I've already searched the forums, as well as some of the management documentation without any success.

I've attached a screen shot of the item from one of the updated hosts. This is not present on any hosts (same hardware level) that are running ESXi4.x. Should I be concerned (at all) about this, or is this just part of the norm for these host servers? I'll have to check my lab ESXi5 host when I get home tonight to see if it also has a vSwitchUSB0 on it. I don't recall seeing one, so I suspect it doesn't.

[Troy_Clavell]

From what we've been told that is the internal USB key that licenses IMM.  You can disable this within the UEFI (BIOS) of the Host.

[golddiggie]

Any harm in leaving it there? Is there a compelling reason to disable it in bios and such? Keep in mind, most of these host servers are booting from USB flash drives. Only two (the x3550 M3 servers) are booting from actual spindle drives.

[Troy_Clavell]

No harm at all leaving it as it.  All it was for us is an eyesore.

[golddiggie]

I'm removing it from the setups so that things are more consistent across all the hosts in the same cluster. It's not that bad to remove, just requires a reboot to get into the bios settings and make the changes. Where the hosts are not yet in use, that's not an issue. I'll need to remember to make the changes as I'm upgrading other hosts though. There are several that are in use that I'll need to place into maintenance mode in order to make these changes.