VMware vSphere

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  • 1.  ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 11:35 AM

    Hello,

    after years using VSPhere at work with thousands VM... I decided to buy a small server for home

    HP ML30 or Dell T140 o something like these.

    Looking at the compatibility matrix, I cann see that for the Dell T140 only the models with Xeon E-21xx are supported.

    What about the Intel i3 ?

    On other models I see that the i3 is compatible.

    so... what is the story?

    Today I am running ESXi on an HP with Intel i7, with no problem.



  • 2.  RE: ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 11:57 AM

    The comptability matrix shows the ones that have been tested, others "may" work, but you won't see resources from vmware stating which ones do. The biggest component you need to make sure is compatible, at least to me, is the network driver. If esxi doesn't see the networking card it won't even install. There are sites out there that have lists of what people have found to have worked like this one

    Building a Homelab - Open Homelab



  • 3.  RE: ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 01:34 PM

    OK. Got it!

    Since the very same server with very same network card, raid adapter, bios, etc. is offered with different processor and just some of these configs are "certified", can I assume it will work with the others?



  • 4.  RE: ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 02:08 PM

    If you want to use ESXi 6.7, I would check the CPU support. Because ESXi 6.7 will not install if the CPU is not supported.

    And for ESXi 6.7, the support for some processors that worked fine in 6.5 has been discontinued. So it's always good to check if your CPU model is still supported for 6.7 in general:

    VMware Compatibility Guide - cpu



  • 5.  RE: ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 02:45 PM

    Many thanks for your help.

    The CPU Intel i3 is supported by VMWare on the 6.7

    The Dell T140 is officially supported only with Xeon

    Is there something else I should check before.... buying this little server for my home work?



  • 6.  RE: ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 02:50 PM

    This helps with the cpu support

    vSphere 6.7 Release Notes

    look for the disallowed cpu section. In general I just search the model number of the server I'm looking at and add something like vmware homelab at the end. There are sites dedicated to this. An example if you where looking at the intel NUC boxes, a good one is

    https://www.virten.net/2018/04/homelab-will-esxi-6-7-run-on-intel-nuc/



  • 7.  RE: ESXi CPU compatibility

    Posted Jan 30, 2019 11:58 AM

    Hi

    Such compatibility matrix  specifies only  the list of hardware that was tested and proven compatible.

    In your case it means that such configuration wasn't tested and that s why its not supported. But it doesn't mean it won't work.