supermicro x8dtl - adaptec ich10r

[paramr]

Hello all,

I have a server with a SuperMicro X8DTL motherboard that has an onboard ICH10R raid controller. The BIOS allows me to enable either the Intel or the Adaptec RAID software. I have enabled the Adaptec RAID software and configured a RAID 10 with 4 Seagate 500GB SATA drives. I then try to install VMWare ESXI 4.0 Update 1 via boot from CD. The problem is that ESXI 4 does not detect the RAID Array and instead shows all 4 drives individually. How can I bootstrap the ESXI install to recognize the RAID Array? The drivers for the Adaptec are available at the location below:

ftp://ftp.supermicro.com/driver/SATA/Adaptec_ICH10R/Linux/

Any help anyone can provide will be much appreciated. Please consider that I am a newbie when it comes to VMWare and Linux.

Thanks in advance,

Param

[golddiggie]

Software RAID is not supported for ESX/ESXi 4. You need HARDWARE RAID in order to get the array to be recognized by the installer, and as datastores. Also, the ICH10 controller is supported, but NOT as a RAID controller. So, basically, until you get a true HARDWARE RAID controller/card, you're stuck with the drives being presented as lone devices.

There are HCL's out there for ESX/ESXi for a reason. If your drive controller isn't listed as being supported as a hardware RAID, then you're not going to be able to present RAID volumes for ESX/ESXi to use. Just thinking that you can install ESX/ESXi onto any 'server' you get your hands on will only lead to trouble. Either it won't install due to the drive controller, ethernet controller, or several other components.

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[paramr]

I understand what you are trying to say. However, there are several articles out there on how to "bootstrap" an ESXI 4 installer with third party RAID drivers. So I am assuming I could do the same with the ICH10R driver? If not, what hardware RAID controller do you recommend? I am not looking to spend too much $$ and something that will work with my 500GB Seagate SATA drives.

Also, assuming i ditch the idea of procuring a RAID controller, is there a way to setup backup of the VMs to another disk/datastore? At the end of the day I am just looking for some redundancy. If I can configure nightly backups of all my VMs to another local disk that would be ideal.

Thanks!

[AndreTheGiant]

Also if you can add 3th part driver those driver must be hardware RAID.

Or simple do not use the RAID feature and use the single disks.

For "unsupported, but working" configurations see also:

http://www.vm-help.com

http://ultimatewhitebox.com

Andre

[golddiggie]

To be completely honest, I've never gone that ghetto in my host hardware, to need to use something like that. I do know that with the ESX installer, there's a place where you can specify different drivers. It's been long enough that I don't recall if you get the same prompt with ESXi...

I would look at Adaptec, Intel and other major makers that have hardware listed on the HCL... Depending on the features you really need, will determine the price range. Make tripple sure the RAID controller is a true hardware RAID controller, and not a 'software RAID' device. Typically the cheaper cards are actually software RAID and not hardware RAID.

Network Administrator

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