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virtualrs
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which Intel chipset?

Hi, Does it matter which intel chipset to use as long as the processor is on supported list. for example Intel Chipset 5000p and Intel chipset 5400 both support Intel e5400 series processors so does it matter which chipset to use?

Thanks in advance!!

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kjb007
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Not really. It's really the processor compatibility as far as vmotion is concerned. Other than that, if you can take shutting down the vm and powering it on another server, then even that does not matter. The other I/O devices have to be supported as well, SCSI controller, NIC, but the chipset itself doesn't matter, as long as the I/O devices and the processor are supported.

-KjB

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vExpert/VCP/VCAP vmwise.com / @vmwise -KjB

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Troy_Clavell
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you also want to make sure they are vMotion compatible. If not, you may have to enable EVC

Enhanced VMotion Compatibility (EVC) processor support

These are a little old, but may be useful

ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/servers/vmware/vmotion.pdf

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/solutions/vmotion_compatibility_matix.pdf

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Dave_Mishchenko
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What sort of environment are you planning to use this in? One thing to consider is that the 5400 supports Directed I/O which will be used in ESXi 4.0 - http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.aspx?mmID=24664,24665,28047,24663&familyID=9&culture=en-US.

virtualrs
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Dave, Its going to be a test / dev tier. Please advise, does VMWare care about chipset as long as processor is supported?

Thanks,

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kjb007
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Not really. It's really the processor compatibility as far as vmotion is concerned. Other than that, if you can take shutting down the vm and powering it on another server, then even that does not matter. The other I/O devices have to be supported as well, SCSI controller, NIC, but the chipset itself doesn't matter, as long as the I/O devices and the processor are supported.

-KjB

VMware vExpert

vExpert/VCP/VCAP vmwise.com / @vmwise -KjB
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virtualrs
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Thanks KjB!

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Dave_Mishchenko
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The 5400 is a workstation chipset so I'm not sure you'd find it on a supported system. I'd first start with the HCL to find a server / mb that is officially supported - http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility.

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virtualrs
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Thanks Dave, please help me understand about intel vt-d a little more. So lets say I have 4 internal storage disks (500 Gigs each) and if I assign one of the diks to a VM can I still use that disk with the other VMs or the entire 500 Gigs will be dedicated to one VM?

Thanks,

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kjb007
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No, you will not. That device will be dedicated to the vm. VT-d lets you passthrough I/O devices from a host directly to a vm. This would presumably keep the vm locked to a particular host as well, as well as keep other vm's from seeing that device slot entirely.

-KjB

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vExpert/VCP/VCAP vmwise.com / @vmwise -KjB
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Dave_Mishchenko
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Just to add it would be the storage controller that would be mapped to the VM and no other VM could use the controller. If you want to dedicate a HD to a specific VM you can use a generic SCSI device for local storage or an RDM for iSCSI/FC LUNs.