If a system is listed in the Compatibility Guide, what exactly does that mean?

[Faize]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had to deal with weird issues, regressions and/or features that simply don't work for some inexplicable reason when evaluating a new version of ESXi, so being listed in the Compatibility Guide clearly doesn't mean that VMware and the hardware manufacturer have thoroughly tested every feature in the specified version of ESXi and have found that there are no problems with the listed hardware.

Thus, I'm wondering what the criteria are for VMware to list a system in the Compatibility Guide and what kinds of assurances customers are supposed to be getting from it?

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

For hardware to make it to the HCL usually entails the providing vendors themselves have tested and vetted said hardware against a target version. As is implied by that statement, some vendors do a better job than others in order to make that assertion. That said, if it's on the list it means the functions of vSphere *should* work and, if they don't, you have recourse with VMware and the vendor as they're committing to providing support for nonfunctional issues.