VMware has just released ESX Update 4. You can find the release notes here. I’ve picked a couple of bullets which I think are important, please read the release notes for the other improvements and known issues!
Be sure to also read the compatability matrix, ESX(i) 3.5 U4 requires vCenter 2.5 U2 or higher, and be sure to check if your Hardware Management Agent is still supported.
Newly supported features:
- PXE booting VMware ESX Server 3i version 3.5 Update 4 Installable is an experimental feature and is supported as such! (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1008971 , http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1009034)
- LUN Queue depth throttling for 3PAR Arrays (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1008113)
- Increasing the VMklinux module heap size:
esxcfg-advcfg -k <mbs> vmklinuxHeapMaxSizeMB
Newly supported Guest Operating Systems:
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (32-bit and 64-bit).
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (32-bit and 64-bit).
- Ubuntu 8.10 Desktop Edition and Server Edition (32-bit and 64-bit).
- Windows Preinstallation Environment 2.0 (32-bit and 64-bit).
Newly supported SAS/SATA controllers:
- PMC 8011 (for SAS and SATA drives)
- Intel ICH9
- Intel ICH10
- CERC 6/I SATA/SAS Integrated RAID Controller (for SAS and SATA drivers)
- HP Smart Array P700m Controller
Newly supported Storage Arrays:
- Sun StorageTek 2530 SAS Array
- Sun Storage 6580 Array
- Sun Storage 6780 Array
Expanded support for the Enhanced VMXNET driver :
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (64-bit)
- Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
- Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional (32-bit)
Hi Duncan, I’m curious about the LUN Queue depth throttling. Tell if i’m wrong : ESX received from the storage array a BUSY or QUEUE FULL status so the VMkernel throttles the LUN queue depth. What’s the benefice effect of this algorithm ?
Thanks.
Applying the U4 update will knock the newly HCL-certified Intel Gigabit ET Dual Port Server Adapter (E1G42ET) off-line. I’ve already burned several hours on this and am currently waiting on VMware support.
If you have any of the new Intel third-gen NICs like the E1G42ET, I recommend you tread carefully so as not to waste time like me!
FYI: The ESX 3.5 U4 update problem is fixed. If the E1G42ET driver is installed prior to U4, U4 will overwrite it with the older v1.0.0-82663 version, a version that does not support the E1G42ET. Furthermore, attempting to reapply the E1G42ET patch with “esxupdate update” or even “esxupdate –force update” does not work.
Here’s what we did to fix it:
1. rpm -qa|grep “igb”
Output: VMware-esx-drivers-net-igb.350.1.0.0-82663
[This is the old driver that U4 installed]
2. rpm -e VMware-esx-drivers-net-igb.350.1.0.0-82663
[Uninstall the old driver]
3. mount the E1G42ET Driver CD: ‘ESX 3.5 Driver CD for driver “igb” version 1.3.8.6.3’: umount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
4. rpm -ivh /mnt/cdrom/VMupdate/RPMS/VMware-esx-drivers-net-ibg-350.1.3.8.6.3-i386.rpm
[Install the new driver]
5. reboot
Back on-line!
Andre at VMware Support said that he’ll write up a KB on this. Cheers,
/j