DSM 3617-6, ESX, Microserver Gen8 - Post install woes

[R0bb0]

Hi all,

 

Hope you are all well at this very strage moment in history.

 

So, the topic...

 

I am running:

VMware ESXi-6.7.0-20191204001-standard-customized (VMware, Inc.)

DSM 6.2.2-24922 Update 6, 3617xs

HP Microserver Gen8/E3-1220 V2, Latest firmware and iLO

HP P420 PCIe RAID w/ 4x HDD, RDM - ready to attach to VM (tested an working)

HP Cougar Point AHCI w/ 2x SSD - passthrough, connected to VM

 

Install and update was flawless, I set the following in grub.cfg:

set sn=xxxxxxxxxxxxx
set mac1=xxxxxxxxxxx

DiskIdxMap=0C00 SataPortMap=1

 

Post install, the boot drive is hidden and my disk numbering starts at my second disk (SATA 1:0)

I have my data disks set to RDM and have tested them with this config, the connect as disks 2,3,4,5 (SATA 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4)

I have disconeccted them while i figure out this issue (they ar not in the screenshots)

 

The issue:

My passthrough for the AHCI starts at disk number 33 and only one SSD is present, both are connected (see attached pic), both SSD work fine and were attached and visible in ESX prior to enabling passthrough.

I would like the 2x SSD in passthrough visible in DSM so I can setup SSD caches, however I need some pointers on what I am doing wrong.

 

I am guessing it is something to do with SataPortMap?

 

Can anybody help this dude under quaratine, opr likewise, if you have any questions about this etup, fire away

 

[R0bb0]

Edit, Ok I got this figured.

 

DiskIdxMap=0C0005 SataPortMap=152

 

This result's in all disks visible, numbered in correct order.

 

SYNOBOOT

SATA 0:0 - Hidden

 

SYSTEM

SATA 1:0 - 16GB System   (Disk 1)

 

RAID 5

SATA 1:1 - 1TB HDD RDM (Disk 2)

SATA 1:2 - 1TB HDD RDM (Disk 3)

SATA 1:3 - 1TB HDD RDM (Disk 4)

SATA 1:4 - 1TB HDD RDM (Disk 5)

 

RAID 0 Cache

AHCI:0 Passthrough  - 250GB SSD (Disk 6)

AHCI:1 Passthrough  - 250GB SSD (Disk 7)

 

Im going to make some modifications to the case internals to allow me to connect two more SSD's for fast storage

Might need a PSU upgrade, well see.

 

I forgot too, I managed to tweak ESXi to the internal SD card as a datastore, this holds the VM and SYSTEM/RDM vmdk's nicely.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2020 by R0bb0

[phguk]

Slightly OT but can I ask how did you arrive at running VMware ESXi-6.7.0-20191204001-standard-customized (VMware, Inc.)  [ fresh install/upgrade etc] ?

 

I'm aware there are HP Microserver specific builds for Gen9 & later which appear to work on Gen 8 too. 

 

Thanks Paul

[R0bb0]

5 hours ago, phguk said:

Slightly OT but can I ask how did you arrive at running VMware ESXi-6.7.0-20191204001-standard-customized (VMware, Inc.)  [ fresh install/upgrade etc] ?

 

I'm aware there are HP Microserver specific builds for Gen9 & later which appear to work on Gen 8 too. 

 

Thanks Paul

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

I downloaded "ESXi-6.7.0-20191204001-standard.iso" from VMware, Then used the powershell script "ESXi-Customizer-PS-v2.6.0.ps1" to slipstream all of these patches into the ISO:

 

I use this ISO at work too, for testing, so having an HP universal has proved handy. I did the same for 6.5 so I have all models covered.

 

The VIB's were aquired from HP: http://vibsdepot.hpe.com/mapping/SPP-HPE_Custom-Image-vibsdepot-mapping-Gen9-later.pdf

 

Visiting today, I see the is a new U3 March 2020 version available, time to get busy hehe.

 

EDIT: The post Gen9 works great with Gen8 hardware (Microserver, DL380, DL360)

 

 

Edited April 7, 2020 by R0bb0

[R0bb0]

Update: I may experiment with passing the P420 in passthrough to see what performance is like, averaging 90 MB/s on Pool to Pool file copy and about the same with PC > NAS file transfer (The NIC's are bonded)

Edited April 7, 2020 by R0bb0

[phguk]

Apologies for the delay, thanks for sharing this info R0bb0. I'll download & try the same. Rgds Paul

[captainfred]

Hi R0bb0, I have almost exact same setup as you apart from the HP RAID card. 

 

How did you work out the DiskIdxMap=0C0005 and SataPortMap=152 ?

 

Also if you a passing through the "onboard" controller Cougar Point AHCI, just like I do, what do you use for the ESXi datastore to store the VM files for Xpenology?

 

Fyi, I passthrough the the "onboard" controller Cougar Point AHCI for the 4 x 3.5" Drives and 1 x SSD Cache on the SATA port onboard and have a PCIe SATA card for SSD datastore for ESXi 

 

Thanks

[NoFate]

Guys , who is still using the HP gen 8 with the cougar in passtrough mode?

My datastore is on a seperate SSD drive, on a seperata SATA controller, i boot esxi from the microsd

Cougar is set to passtrough mode

 

I stuggled a long time to get my disks visible, until i define it like below, but i'm still on 6.1 , mauybe time to update

ALready tested the new loaders, but again, the disks on the cougar controller are gone

 

How do you guys manage this

 

@captainfred  @R0bb0

 

 

esataportcfg="0x1000"
usbportcfg="03000000000"    
internalportcfg="fffffffff"
 

Edited December 20, 2023 by NoFate