Multiple graphics cards dedicated to VM?

[markhsa]

I want to know if this is possible. I have been unable to find any definitive information on this yet.

I have a Dell T710. I want to install ESX(i) on it and have client OS's on it that have a dedicated video card each. They will be HDTV front ends.

So, multiple Nvidia PCIe cards and each VM ( Fedora ) would get a direct access to a video card.

Thoughts?

Mark

[RParker]

I want to install ESX(i) on it and have client OS's on it that have a dedicated video card each.

You are WAY off base. VM's are not designed for performance.

VM's are not designed for graphics.

You cannot dedicate hardware to a VM (realisitically) anyway, certainly not assign a graphic card to a VM.

Not sure what you are trying to achieve, but "graphics" are an END user experience NOT the server. You can rip the graphic card out, VM will still run, you just can't see anything from the console on that server ..

RDP to the VM, that graphics comes from the workstation where the RDP session is, not the server.

[markhsa]

What about VMDirectPath?

I am trying to combine a Linux PVR backend, and 3 frontends that have Nvidia cards with HDMI out ( all on one shelf with HDMI out to rooms )

So if I could run a vm for backend recording via USB, and 3 frontends that had a dedicated card for HDMI out, that would save the number of machines and power I use.

Thoughts?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

What you're suggesting is possible, but won't be supported. ESXi only supports a few NICs and HBAs for VMDirectPath and there are a number of limitations to using it. It is possible to pass through a video card to a VM (I've tried it myself) but the practically of using a VM in such a manner is limited. If you want to access the VM "at the console" then you need to pass through a keyboard and mouse to the VM as well (possible with USB passthrough on ESX(i) 4.1 +. If you just need the VM to access the card and you'll acces the VM remotely (vsphere console / VNC) then you'll be able to do this. No gaurantees that it will work (I've seen some succeed and some fail).

VMDirectPath requires a MB with Intel VT-d or AMD IOMMU support. Each card would also have to be on a seperate PCI bus.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[RParker]

I think everyone is confused.

ESX is DATA, VM's are DATA, Servers are DATA, these devices DO NOT need graphics! Graphics is for YOUR benefit, you can record video, edit, stream video, copy / open graphics..without a video card.

It ONLY matters for a graphics card.. as a HUMAN so you can see the pretty little colors and see it on a big screen. Your DVR doesn't need a TV to operate.. YOU need to see it, because that's who its ultimately FOR!

Like I said, VM's are not designed for graphics, everything will STILL work fine. A VM doesn't need a graphic card to do ANY of this stuff, it will works, you just need record whatever is you are doing.. then once you are ready to VIEW said content.. THAT'S where you need a graphic card.

ARE we clear now!??!

[markhsa]

I am simply trying to utilize hardware to its fullest and save some power.

ARE we clear? ARE we having issue with OUR caps lock? Chill out.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

I think the one important thing to understand is that ESXi is not designed for direct VM access (as you can with VMware Workstation or Server). If you want to access the console of a VM you do that from a Windows PC running the vSphere client. If direct console access to a VM is a requirement then you have to look at other solutions. There are some client hypervisors (like XenClient) which may do the job.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[coolguycooley]

if you seriously believe a DVR can work without a tv. try it, and you'll see how ignorant of a sentence that was. I'm serious

[coolguycooley]

that's objectively wrong seeing as you CAN add a graphics card to a vm. maybe not VMware...but trying to say you cant add a graphics card to a virtual machine is objectively wrong in every sense

[ModulusEcks]

Mark,

I know this is a bit late, but I'm replying for those of us that end up here as a result of your post being one of the first google results..

Hopefully you didn't give up and figured this out already.

I understand exactly what you're trying to do, and don't really understand why RParker was so confused..

My intention was to configure a machine similarly but with one vm on the tv, and another on a display in my office, thus having just an lcd, keyboard, and mouse on my desk.. no noise, always on, etc..

Anyways, what I ended up finding was that ESXi didn't support it at the time.. I think that's on its way to changing, but Xen appeared to be the best option when I first researched this, and looks to have come quite a ways since then.  There's a wiki page on their site titled Xen vga passthrough, here's a link: http://wiki.xen.org/xenwiki/XenVGAPassthrough.html

There are also a list of adapters that have been tested and are known to work: http://wiki.xen.org/xenwiki/XenVGAPassthroughTestedAdapters.html

It's entirely awesome and obviously ironic that a technology that started as a mainframe with terminal access has evolved to powerful desktop systems, and is now moving right back to a mainframe (the internet) and terminals (desktops, netbooks, chromebooks, smartphones).

I think it's only fitting that those of us with an affinity for integrating and exploiting technology at home, should set up a 'mainframe'

As I recall, the hard part of vga passthrough is that the videocard needs to be 'rebooted' each time the vm boots, and the videocard's bios needs to be transferred into the vm's mobo bios.  It took a while before anyone took that on.  It would be great if VMware would tackle that, but as they cater primarily to server farms, I don't think it'll ever happen..