ESXi

 View Only

  • 1.  Windows 2000 Advanced Server - Unstable underload

    Posted Nov 12, 2009 09:20 PM

    Hello -

    I'm going to log this with vmware support, but figured I'd run this past the communities first.

    I have created a Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4, running MSSQL 2000 with 4GB RAM and 4vCPU on ESX4. (HW Compat is ver7)

    Testing was going well, however an issue has come up where when the SQL Server became underload - other virtual machines (on the same host) would lose connectivity to the SQL server, any RDP sessions to the SQL server would also die.

    The strange thing is, if I reduce the vCPU count from 4 to 1the problem disappears! - I dont wish to run the VM with 1vCPU longterm since performance is an issue with 1vCPU, (but it is atleast stable with 1)

    I've checked the support guest OS list for ESX4 - and Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4 is supported for upto 8vCPUs.

    Anyone else experiencing anything similar?

    Thanks

    PS. I have seen this blog - http://planetvm.net/blog/?p=817 - but I cant find the 1 vCPU restriction on the HCL, in fact it says 8 is supported.



  • 2.  RE: Windows 2000 Advanced Server - Unstable underload

    Posted Nov 13, 2009 12:28 PM

    Good luck with that one.

    SQL Server 2000 in virtual environments is not supported by Microsoft.



  • 3.  RE: Windows 2000 Advanced Server - Unstable underload

    Posted Nov 13, 2009 01:17 PM

    Take a look at the esxtop CPU stats when running with 4vCPUs. Do you see high %RDY times there (above 5)?

    Also, ensure that the OS is using correct multiprocessor HAL.

    What kind of CPUs and servers do you run ESX on?

    Another thing that can cause issues at times are power saving features of the CPU/server. Try turning them off completely in the server BIOS.