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JasonJoel
Contributor
Contributor

Dell PE 2950iii - Can you buy the embedded ESXi after the initial purchase?

We have a number of Dell PE 2950iii's. However, none of them were originally ordered with the embedded ESXi option.

Does anyone know if it can be added 'after the fact'? Looking at Dell's website, it didn't look like it.... Which would be a real sahme, as the servers are already mounted, etc - so can't simply be returned for a model WITH the option.

Jason

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Your Dell rep should be able to find a part for you. On the HP side people have noted that there is a specific part number that you can get and it's really only a matter of putting in the usb key and changing your boot options.

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JasonJoel
Contributor
Contributor

I have the request in to my Dell rep, as I think I found the part number.

Although it does make me wonder... Since it is just a USB flash drive, I wonder if one could make the image for it themselves. Thereby foregoing have to order it from Dell at all, and just using an appropriately fast USB flash drive. I see exactly where it plugs in inside the server.

I suppose someone will figure out how to do exactly that sooner or later.

Jason

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Dave_Mishchenko
Immortal
Immortal

Technically you can do this and I do in the lab - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/Boot%203i%20from%20USB%20flash%20drive.html. The difference between embedded and installable is on the order of bytes.

But from a support perspective, it would not be supported and the only reason I've seen is concern over the quality of the usb flash drive and that all flash drives may not work. You only need a 1 GB flash drive to do this.

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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

You don't need the embedded version, just download ESX 3i. It's the same thing. Ebedded means it has Dell support but they will support you regardless. If you have problems with the embedded version you can ONLY call Dell, not VM Ware, so it's good and bad.

The ESX 3i is fully supported on a Dell PE 2950, in fact it was the FIRST and ONLY supported platform when it first came out.

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Simon_H
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Note the embedded version supplied by the hardware manufacturer may also have a management agent installed too. I don't know about Dell, but the HP-supplied embedded ESX3i also has an HP Systems Insight Management agent built-in, allowing the host to be controlled from an HP central management console. Apart from USB memory reliability, you may also find the manufacturer's USB device is physically smaller to allow it to fit in the internal-USB space. Hope this helps Smiley Happy

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JasonJoel
Contributor
Contributor

Good point. If I can ever get the quote from my Dell rep, I'm going to order one and see what is different.

It would be really nice if they did have an SNMP (or other) agent. The ability to only do SNMP trap messages in ESXi is very annoying for us.

Jason

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adabbas
Contributor
Contributor

I spent hours looking inside my new Dell PE 2950iii and in the manuals, and I even invited a couple of friends to help, but we were unalble to find where should we plug the Internal USB. Can somebody please help Smiley Happy

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adabbas
Contributor
Contributor

Oppps it seems that they've sold me a 2950 not a 2950 III !!!!! That is way it does not have an Internal USB Port. Smiley Sad

Are there any other differences that I should be aware of??

I will be very appreciative if I get an urgent reply about that, as I need to call them ASAP to discuss it.

PS I've read the specs of both, and I did not notice any other difference, but I need to make sure since they do not usually say everything on Docs.

Thanks in advance

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balacs
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

I think 2950 III was a motherboard refresh to 2950 II to support the newer processors.

Bala

Dell Inc

Bala Dell Inc
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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

2 Things here.

2950 Series II has a PERC (Power Edge Raid Controller ver. 5). 2950 Series III has a PERC ver 6. (ver. 6 has RAID 6 capability, about the only difference-- other than performance improvement).

The other thing is you don't need embedded version of ESX. It just means pre-installed or install it yourself. Other than that install ESX 3i on it, and you are set.

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