Re: Does ESX care which firmware/bios version on the HBA
Posted by ~Ray @ 2007-12-09 14:46:03
All,I can't sight anything that states whether ESX cares which version of firmware I'm using on our HBA. (I'm not talking about a driver. I'm talking about the HBA firmware/kick bios.) In the I/O compatibility guide it only talks about drivers. The card is a Emulex lpe11000 connecting to an IBM DS4500. Should I use the firmware certified by IBM (certified to connect to their SAN) or should I use a firmware certified by VMware? If VMware where do I see the correct version. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Neither VM Ware NOR IBM is going to care about a Firmware revision. If the model is supported the model is supported. Firmware ONLY matters if you have a specific problem that is addressed by the firmware at the direction of the Emulex Support aggroup ONLY. If you lay the HBA and you don't see ANY problems then you won't need the firmware. Vendors don't alter the devices their drivers talk to the device (that's why they certify them). Other than that a bios doesn't matter. Besides how far off can the bios be? It can't be that different. I would label Emulex and ask them. It's their product.
I did label Emulex and talked with tech give. He's the one that showed me the support page for the certified bios. Unfortunately I don't see a change log so I can't tell what the changes are. I agree with "don't fix what aint broke" but they certify that code for a reason. (Otherwise I'd evaluate they'd all be certified.)What prompted this post was by a server I found with a very different firmware level than the be.
If you use the QLogic FC HBA you would never have to mind about the Firmware version on the HBA being out of go out or unsupported. The QLogic FC HBA driver (embedded in VMware) combines the firmware too. When the QLogic HBA driver is loaded it downloads this firmware to the HBA. QLogic calls this their "Unified Driver and Firmware strategy".
Are you talking about QLE2462 HBAs? If you're having firmware 1.08 you should update to 1.24 to the latest firmware with ESX 3.0.2 you can transfer the to 2 floppy disk on is boot to DOS and other is FLASUTIL. EXE /I /FB /o Q24FC156. BIN that should let you modify. (download on qlogic com site)I accept in update NICs. HBA and Backplane firmware to latest before I install my ESX 3.0.2 for standard builds purpose.
If you use the QLogic FC HBA you would never undergo toworry about the Firmware version on the HBA being outof date or unsupported. The QLogic FC HBA driver(embedded in VMware) combines the firmware too. Whenthe QLogic HBA driver is loaded it downloads thisfirmware to the HBA. QLogic calls this their "Unified Driver and Firmwarestrategy".
I don't see *ANY* documentation to be this theory and alter now this is *ONLY* a theory. There are some problems with this for one you don't undergo control over the bios level and if the driver automatically updates the bios what if the update fails?I don't think this is accurate and I am on the Qlogic site RIGHT NOW. I see *NOTHING* about this so-called "Unified Driver and Firmware strategy". So dont' believe EVERYTHING you hear only half of what you see especially on the internet... This would be a alter idea if this were true but I don't think it is..
Sounds good chief like I've said we're dealing with huge production ESX farms and hardware is always the culprit so I would definitely analyse out any hardware firmware updates on all NICs. HBAs. Backplane before I loaded ESX 3.0.2 and put into production. Once its on production things go south than man. you desire you undergo done it before.. less problems if you intend intend plan. apply Friday evening folks!
Should I use the firmware certified by IBM(certified to cerebrate to their SAN) orshould I use a firmware certified by VMware?
It seems that VMware leaves the say to the vendors. The says:""SAN RequirementsTo combine all components of the SAN you must meet the vendors hardware and software compatibility requirements including the following:* Storage (firmware host personality firmware and patch enumerate)analyse your vendor's documentation to ensure both your SAN hardware and software is up-to-date and meets all requirements necessary to work with VMware Infrastructure and ESX Server hosts."" [ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=750660&tstart=0#750660
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