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Collin09
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ESXi 4.1 u1 install on Dell PowerEdge R210

Does any one have any success in installing the ESXi 4.1 U1 on the Dell PowerEdge R210? I am having trouble installing ESXi and maybe someone had some advice. The Dell server comes with a RAID1 and is under the VMWare HCL list. It has a S100 controller for the RAID. Dell recommend to break the RAID1 and install the ESXi on the local (single) drive. this Server comes with a 500GB (x2) drive.

What will be the best option? I am thinking of installing the ESXi 4.1.U1 on a USB flash drive but had no experience doing this and I am not sure how durable it is. Is this something I can depend of and what size of USB drive do I need?

Please advice of what have you done or any recommendation on how to install the host server.

Thank you.

Collin

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DSTAVERT
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I would definitely install to a USB stick. You will need a 1GB or larger USB stick. You may have an internal USB slot and I would check your documentation for location. ESXi loads directly into RAM and there are very few writes to the disk. A small configuration copy happens once per hour.

I don't think your RAID controller can be used as RAID as I believe it is software RAID which isn't supported under ESX(i). You will end up with two separate drives.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator

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DSTAVERT
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I would definitely install to a USB stick. You will need a 1GB or larger USB stick. You may have an internal USB slot and I would check your documentation for location. ESXi loads directly into RAM and there are very few writes to the disk. A small configuration copy happens once per hour.

I don't think your RAID controller can be used as RAID as I believe it is software RAID which isn't supported under ESX(i). You will end up with two separate drives.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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Collin09
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I would definitely will try this as this might be the option to get this host server going. Thankyou for the insight.

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Rumple
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It has a S100 controller for the RAID - this is a software raid controller and will not pick it up as a single drive as its able to see through the RAID config.

you would have needed the H-series controller which has the hardware Raid with Battery backup.

Collin09
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yes. its a software RAID. I will try this process. this will be my first try installing in USB drive.

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DSTAVERT
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The USB stick will show up as an install destination. Once installed I would set up a scratch location on a datastore. You can do that from the vSphere Client Configuration tab under Advanced settings in the software section. At the same time I would create a datastore location for the logs to go in the same advanced settings under Syslog.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
Collin09
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Ok. I will try that. thank you.

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DSTAVERT
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Please post back to this thread on your progress.

Good luck.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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Collin09
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I will. thank you.

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Collin09
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I got the host up and running. Installed in the USB drive. However, the RAID1 drive that is local drive shows up in the devices as a separate drive 500GB drive (2). Is this because of the software controller and VMWare ESXi did not recognized the controller?

Please advice?

Thank you.

Collin

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DSTAVERT
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ESX(i) does not support software RAID cards. As mentioned earlier in this thread you would need an H series card or a Perc 5 or 6 to get hardware RAID.

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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Collin09
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I probably just break the RAID and use the 2 drive for separate datastore. Most of the guest VM will be on the iSCS SAN.

Thank you.

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DSTAVERT
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You could use the local disks for creating clone copies of some of your more important VMs. http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-8760

-- David -- VMware Communities Moderator
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Collin09
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That is a good idea. Thanks for the information.

Thank you.

Collin.

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