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HP has updated its ESXi 5.x customised images as part of its Service Pack for Proliant (SPP) Feb 2013 update.

HP’s customised images are fully integrated sets of specific drivers and software that are tested to work together. You can see the list of Driver Versions in HP supplied VMware ESX/ESXi images.

I have done an extensive update of my HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 & VMware ESX(i) pre-requisites post which includes these new customised images.

HP Custom Image for VMware ESXi 5.1 February 2013: VMware-ESXi-5.1.0-799733-HP-5.34.23.iso

The new and updated features for the HP vSphere 5.1 Customized Image for February 2013 include:

• Provider Features:
  • Report installed licenses for HP Dynamic Smart Array Controller.
  • Report New memory properties.
  • Support for IP Address encoding in SNMP traps.
  • Support SMX MemoryModuleOnBoard association.
  • HP Dynamic Smart Array Controller split cache support.
  • Report New RAID levels for storage volume fault tolerance.
  • HP Smart Cache support.
  • Update reporting of Smart Array Cache Status to align with firmware and iLO.
• AMS features:
  • Report running SW processes to HP Insight Remote Support.
  • Report vSphere 5.1 SNMP agent management IP and enable VMware vSphere 5.1 SNMP agent to report iLO4 management IP.
  • IML logging for NIC, and SAS traps.
  • Limit AMS log file size and support log redirection as defined by the ESXi host parameter: ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation
• SR-IOV Support:
  • Updated Intel 10Gb network driver to enable SR-IOV for the HP 560FLB, 560M, 560SFP+, and 560FLR-SFP+.

HP Custom Image for VMware ESXi 5.0.0 Update 2 February 2013: VMware-ESXi-5.0.0-Update2-914586-HP-5.27.20.iso

The new and updated features for the HP vSphere 5.0 U2 Customized Image for February 2013 include:

• Provider Features:
  • Report installed licenses for HP Dynamic Smart Array Controller.
  • Report New memory properties.
  • Support for IP Address encoding in SNMP traps.
  • Support SMX MemoryModuleOnBoard association.
  • HP Dynamic Smart Array Controller split cache support.
  • Report New RAID levels for storage volume fault tolerance.
  • HP Smart Cache support.
  • Update reporting of Smart Array Cache Status to align with firmware and iLO.
• AMS features:
  • Report running SW processes to HP Insight Remote Support.
  • IML logging for NIC, and SAS traps.
  • Limit AMS log file size and support log redirection as defined by the ESXi host parameter: ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation

Emulex has released a new set of drivers and firmware for use on Gen8 and G7 HP Servers including blades with both VMware ESXi 5.0 and 5.1.

Driver:
Emulex be2net nic driver version 4.2.327.0 which is included in the HP Custom Image for VMware ESXi 5.1 February 2013: VMware-ESXi-5.1.0-799733-HP-5.34.23.iso and HP Custom Image for VMware ESXi 5.0.0 Update 2 February 2013: VMware-ESXi-5.0.0-Update2-914586-HP-5.27.20.iso or can be downloaded separately from VMware.

Emulex has also released a newer driver version 4.4.231.0 which is available from VMware but this isn’t supported as yet by HP.

Firmware:
Emulex firmware version 4.2.401.605 which can be updated using the Emulex OneConnect-Flash .ISO.

There was a 4.2.401.6 released but this has been superseded by 4.2.401.605 which fixes a number of issues.

I have done an extensive update of my HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 & VMware ESX(i) pre-requisites post which includes these new Emulex drivers and firmware.

At VMworld 2011. VMware Virtual Volumes, vVolumes or vVols for short was previewed which I reviewed in my post at the time. You can now see the original presentation:

VMworld 2011: VSP3205 – VMware vStorage APIs for VM and Application Granular Data Management

Well, another year and another VMworld has passed and it seems the storage game changer is getting closer to seeing the light of day if the recent spate of tech preview demos are anything to go by.

First of all, a recap on what are vVols.

vVols are a completely new storage architecture designed to be the next generation of storage with a few key features:

1. Allow management of VM storage to be at the VM level, no longer at the LUN / volume level
2. All the storage heavy lifting in terms of moving data, snapshots, replication, deduplication etc. is done at the storage array
3. No disruption to existing VM creation workflows
4. Massive scale of number of VMs per storage system

Read more…

Unless you are a photographic memory super VCDX you probably don’t have every single ESXi command line, PowerCLI Cmdlet or vCloud Networking construct available in memory.

Luckily for the rest of us normal people, VMware has released some fantastic posters detailing these topics in an easy to grab format which you can download for your pleasure.

They are large format .PDF posters so you can print them out and either impress your friends with your techy wall art or have them handy on your smart phone just when you need to troubleshoot a problem.

Don’t forget you can also get the amazing vReference cards made by Forbes Guthrie.

VMware ESXi 5.1 Reference

VMware Management with PowerCLI 5.1

VMware vCloud Networking

HP has been creating its own customised ESXi images for while now which contain all the HP specific drivers and software which could be downloaded from somewhere on HPs website (unfortunately finding things on HP.com isn’t the easiest thing to do).
http://www.wooditwork.com/2012/03/28/hp-esxi-5-0-update-1-customised-image-available-for-download/

These images are now available to download directly from VMware’s site alongside images from NEC, Hitachi and Cisco.
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/info/slug/datacenter_cloud_infrastructure/vmware_vsphere/5_0#drivers_tools

Click on OEM Customized Installer CDs.

Direct Link: https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=HP-ESXI-5.0.0-U1-15MAR2012&productId=229

There are also direct links to HP specific documentation.

• Manuals – VMware Virtualization Software For HP ProLiant Servers
• ProLiant Server VMware Support Matrix
• HP Technical Whitepaper
• Driver Versions in HP supplied VMware ESX/ESXi images

This should make finding the images just that little bit easier.

HP has released a new firmware version 4.1.402.20 of its Emulex OneConnect 10Gb Ethernet Controller which is used in HP G7 Blades.

The June HP Service Pack for ProLiant 2012.06.0(B) had a 4.1.402.8 firmware version so it looks like it only had a lifespan of a month and has now been superseded by 4.1.402.20.

Unfortunately it doesn’t look like the HP VMware Recipe for June has been updated http://vibsdepot.hp.com/hpq/recipes/June2012VMwareRecipe1.0.pdf

The installation is as before and requires you to boot off an .ISO and update manually. (I have a dream that one day…)

Before June the firmware version recommended was 4.0.493. I can’t tell what the enhancements are between 4.1.402.8 and 4.1.402.20 as the release notes for 4.1.402.20 only list the resolved issues from 4.0.493.

BladeEngine Firmware

1. Increased RSS queues for Rhel drivers.
2. Fixed W2K8 graceful shutdown on NC552 adapter.
3. iSCSI not working when priority fields are used.
4. 554FLR-SFP adapter, FCoE Path Multipath Recovery Failure, SLES11 SP1 x64
5. FCoE port sometimes doesn’t login after VC module failover, w2k3
6. Fix support for TEMP_DEAD and ALOM_FAN_ON_AUX on Gen 8 servers
7. Correction to OCSD to prevent DMA conflicts with LPFC driver

PXE BIOS

1. NC553i adapter using wrong IP for gateway during Tftp
2. BE2/BE3 based adapters, PXE Hang
3. BL465cG7 PXE boot stops and is not coming up in RDP

iSCSI BIOS

1. SCSI SAN boot fails when DHCP Vendor Id is used for BL420cG8
2. Smart Array shows EBDA Error when ELX iSCSI Boot LUN configured

UEFI NIC

1. Dynamic link update is not working with NIC UEFI driver

Technical Tips

1. When updating HP CN1000e and NC550SFP products, use either the OneConnect-flash.iso or the Elxflash Offline tools. Either method will update the ILO image for the Network Communications Services Interface (NCSI) side band support. This procedure requires a power cycle after flashing. This tip does not apply to network cards that are version 4.0.360.15 or later.
2. Before you update your host drivers, update your firmware using the available online tools.

I’ve updated my post: HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 & VMware ESX(i) pre-requisites

HP has released a new version of its Virtual Connect Firmware 3.60 which is used in HP c-Class Chassis with Flex-10, FlexFabric, VC Enet and FC Module interconnect modules.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=3709945&prodSeriesId=3794423&prodNameId=3794431&swEnvOID=2079&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-f8ab0a5ea5c8462390b90a1986

This release adds support for the following server models, HBAs and Adapters:

• HP ProLiant BL420c Gen8 Server Series
• HP ProLiant BL465c Gen8 Server Blade
• HP LPe1205A 8Gb FC HBA for BladeSystem c-Class
• HP Ethernet 1Gb 2-port 361FLB Adapter
• HP Ethernet 1Gb 4-port 366M Adapter

This update has fixed quite a number of bugs, 14 are listed in the release notes but there are 7 new issues reported so make sure you read the notes carefully.

There are also quite a few general issues HP is tracking even with this new firmware, some of which have workarounds and others with promised fixes in future versions.

Also make sure you check through the pre-requisites to ensure you follow some of the advisories or you may lose configuration data and ensure you use the Virtual Connect Support Utility 1.6.0

VMware recently released a new Emulex be2net driver version 4.1.334.0 for both ESX(i) 4.x and ESXi 5.x for the Emulex OneConnect 10Gb Ethernet Controller which is used in HP G7 Blades.

These new drivers were not supported by HP when released but HP has now certified this driver and included it its new HP ESXi images.

ESX(i) 4.x
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=DT-ESX4041-EMULEX-be2net-413340&productId=230
ESXi 5.x
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=DT-ESX50-EMULEX-be2net-413340&productId=229

I’ve updated my post: HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 & VMware ESX(i) pre-requisites

HP has released new versions for June of  its customised ESXi images and offline bundles which include ESXi 5.0 Update 1 and ESXi 4.1 Update 2.

You can view the contents of all customised HP images here:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/software/vmware-esxi/driver_version.html

ESXi 5.0 Update 1
https://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=HPVM09

Offline Bundle
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-83016c4f7e82421f82ad5c2fcc

What’s new:

• VMware ESXi 5.0 U1 is supported on new Gen8 servers.
• Updated VMware IOVP Certified Device Drivers added to HP ESXi 5.0 U1 installation images for HP device enablement.
• Supports HP Dynamic Smart Array.
• Updated providers:
• New Gen8 servers and new hardware.
• Additional support for HP Smart Carrier.
• Additional support for AC Lost detection for power supplies.
• Updated Agentless Management Service to:
• Support new hardware.
• Report network and SAS driver information.
• Report performance data.

ESXi 4.1 Update 2
https://h20392.www2.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=HPVM06

Offline Bundle
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-8fff2cc8385e4e92a7a209a51b

What’s new:

• VMware ESXi 4.1 U2 is supported on new Gen8 servers.
• Updated VMware IOVP Certified Device Drivers added to HP ESXi 4.1 U2 installation images for HP device enablement.
• Supports HP Dynamic Smart Array.
• Updated providers:
• New Gen8 servers and new hardware.
• Additional support for HP Smart Carrier.
• Additional support for AC Lost detection for power supplies.
• Updated Agentless Management Service to:
• support new hardware.
• report network and SAS driver information.
• report performance data.

Update: 06 June 2012 – These drivers are now supported by HP - HP G7 Blade new Emulex be2net ESX(i) drivers 4.1.334.0 now supported

Update: 11 May 2012 to amend link and try work out HP support. Apologies I had the wrong ESX(i) version link in the original post and hadn’t properly investigated HP support for  Virtual Connect/FlexFabric which is confusing. Sorry, Sloppy me!

VMware has released a new Emulex be2net driver version 4.1.334.0 for both ESX(i) 4.x and ESXi 5.x for the Emulex OneConnect 10Gb Ethernet Controller which is used in HP G7 Blades. But, before you get too excited, HP has NOT certified these drivers for use with HP Virtual Connect and FlexFabric…I think.

You see in this page from VMware which was updated on 4 April 2012 the advice is to use the 4.0.306.0 driver for ESX(i) 4.x and 4.0.355.1 for ESXi 5.x
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2007397

This page however from VMware says for ESXi 5 driver version 4.0.355.1 isn’t supported for HP ProLiant G7 servers. It requires a new firmware version that is not currently available.
http://partnerweb.vmware.com/comp_guide2/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=19067&vcl=true

but I think this is old as the HP advisory has been updated to say the 4.0.355.1 driver is supported
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c03005737

But in this document which looks like it has been written by HP, the 4.1.334 drivers for both versions ARE supported (but again with different firmware version numbers that don’t really tally up with what has been supported before)
http://partnerweb.vmware.com/programs/hcl/ESX_Flex_config.pdf

I’m thinking that this document may be a little premature as no other HP information has been updated to reflect support for the 4.1.334 drivers

So, just for your information, the 4.1.334 drivers can be downloaded from the following links when they may be supported:

ESX(i) 4.x:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=DT-ESX4041-EMULEX-be2net-413340&productId=230

ESXi 5.x:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details/dt_esxi50_emulex_be2net_413340/dHRAYndld3diZHBqaA==

But, I’m thinking the currently supported drivers are:

ESX(i) 4.x: version 4.0.306.0
http://downloads.vmware.com/d/details/dt_esxi40_emulex_be2net_403060/ZHcqYnQqaGpiZEBlZA

ESXi 5.x: version 4.0.355.1
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details/dt_esxi50_emulex_be2net_413340/dHRAYndld3diZHBqaA==

I’ve updated my post: HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 & VMware ESX(i) pre-requisites