The chipset eX4 in IBM X3850 M2 provides IOMMU. Is this used by ESX ?

[meistermn]

After i read the ibm vmware world presentation, I was suprised that ibm has iommu support with the eX4 chipset.

This is the only intel server with ddr2 ram, not fb dimms as all other vendors have. So it is unique plattorm.

Is this supported and used in vmware esx . Any benchmarks?

Look at the attachment.

[mreferre · Accepted solution]

The EXA servers share a big deal of technologies with the POWER-based platforms. The I/O chipset is pretty similar and thus it includes stuff like IOMMU.

This is being leveraged by the PowerVM technologies on POWER-based systems but, as far as I know, it is not being leveraged by VMware with ESX but it doesn't mean it will not be exploited in the future.

Massimo.

[meistermn]

Will this be used in ESX 4.0 ?

[mreferre]

I can't comment on VMware future products..... these guys could put you in jail.....

Massimo.

[meistermn]

Can you tell if IBM working on this in general. It does not matter which x86 hypervisor.

[mreferre]

I heard someone in the lab has been working (or I should playing?!) with this on some opensource hypervisor....

Massimo.