VMware Cloud Community
Brian_Larsen1
Contributor
Contributor
‎06-12-2008 11:40 AM

Can i mix ESX 3.5 and ESXi 3.5 servers

Hi

We have a cluster running ESX 3.5 servers. We would like to buy new servers with ESXi 3.5 Embedded.

Can ESX 3.5 and ESXi 3.5 run in the same cluster without loss of function?

Regards

0 Kudos
3 Replies
weinstein5
Immortal
Immortal
‎06-12-2008 11:52 AM

yes they can exist together in the environmen and run int he same DRS cluster as long as they have compatible cpus - this is a requirment fomr VMware for vmotion -

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful
0 Kudos
gary1012
Expert
Expert
‎06-12-2008 11:52 AM

I haven't tried it so take this as an uninformed opinion... I'd say yes. You're probably limited by the VMotion constraints more than anything else.

Community Supported, Community Rewarded - Please consider marking questions answered and awarding points to the correct post. It helps us all.
0 Kudos
Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal
‎06-12-2008 12:02 PM

Hello Brian, welcome to the VMware Community forums. HA would not be supported in a mixed cluster.

Details

VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 1 extends support for VMware High Availability (HA) to ESX Server 3i hosts, but currently requires some additional restrictions: swap space must be enabled on individual ESX Server 3i hosts (KB 1004177), and only homogeneous (non-mixed) clusters are supported at this time.

Solution

Homogeneous (non-mixed) clusters are fully supported when composed entirely of non-ESXi hosts, or entirely of ESXi hosts. More specifically:

Homogeneous cluster of ESX Server 3.0.x hosts or ESX Server 3.5 hosts or ESX Server 3i hosts are supported.

Heterogeneous cluster of ESX Server 3.0.x and ESX Server 3.5 is supported.

Heterogeneous cluster of ESX Server 3.0.x, ESX Server 3.5, and ESX Server 3i are currently NOT supported.