VMware vSphere 7.0 Update 2c is now GA, here's how to download it any which way!
Table of Contents
VMware vSphere 7.0 Update 2c was released on August 24 and isn't available for download on all 4 channels listed below quite yet, it's only on my.vmware.com so far. Don't worry, you can still get your lab updated to 7.0U2c now, read onward for details. I'll update this article accordingly once the new downloads of VCSA and ESXi 7.0U2c become available in the other channels too.
To get started with your lab testing, jump to the appropriate download section:
- If you have a free My VMware account
- If you're currently a vExpert
- If you're currently a VMUG Advantage EVALExperience subscriber
- If you're seeking the Free Hypervisor Download and License
The main VMware download page with all the products to sift through is here, with guidance on what exact files to get from where detailed below! If you're still on 6.x and are more of a YouTube watcher/visual leaner and you want to see what the upgrades to 7.0 are like, here's the article featuring informal videos that should help build your confidence!
On Aug 24 2021, I noticed that ESXi 7.0U2c became available, so I began my lab testing using the ESXCLI upgrade method.
Sequence
As always, be sure to update your VCSA first, here's my lab testing of that procedure using VAMI. Next, update your ESXi host(s) with the preferred Lifecycle Manager. Alternatively, use ESXCLI to upgrade which doesn't require VCSA, downloads and installs with one command, and doesn't require my.vmware.com credentials or software trials, or VCSA.
Issues
Please note that I've run into some issues with my own VCSA 7.0 Update 3 upgrade, but none were showstoppers.
Error in method invocation Exception occurred while unzipping patch script, please retry after sometime
Error in method invocation [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/storage/core/software-update/tmp/latest/rmp-manifest.json'
Error in method invocation {'id': 'com.vmware.appliance.update.checksum_verification_failed', 'default_message': 'Checksum verification failed', 'args': []}
While I don't have video and/or a screenshot, at times I've also run into this error message.
Error in method invocation [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/storage/core/software-update/updates/index' The directory does exist.
Some of these errors are mentioned in the VMware Communities post that was the basis for my eventual success with VAMI.
Despite this, my VCSA seems to work just fine once I managed to get the VAMI Update to work. I do have some other minor warnings in the vSphere Client that I might publish a video on if time permits, but those don't seem to have anything to do with how I updated. What surprised me was that my VCSA 7.0U2a instance was rebuilt from scratch under a month ago, so it was very nearly a fresh install. Thus, I found the errors surprising, but most went away by merely using vSphere Client to launch VAMI then clicking on Update, CHECK UPDATES, Check CD ROM, as pictured above.
Prerequisites
Folks new to VMware sometimes get tripped up when trying to find the actual files they'll need to get started. Note that the fresh install full downloads do require you to use your MY VMware account, with free sign-up and 60 day trials, with information about potentially avoiding all that for existing vSphere 7.0 non-production labs here, which I've already tested!
If you are new to 7.x, you'll need new license keys and some preparation. If you have a vSphere 6.x license key in your lab that is working now, after the upgrade to 7.0, you'll be starting your 60 day trial, during which time you'll want to apply your license keys from any one of the 4 options listed below.
As always, you must do your homework including checking whether your VM backup solution supports vSphere 7 Update 2c yet. Likely that will take at least a month or two. Check with your backup vendor to be sure, for example, since there's been a few of these supposedly minor updates that have inadvertently broken backups, for example. As always, the focus of my articles is home or work lab testing, typically considered non-production environments.
Release Notes
Before you begin any upgrades, you really need to review both
Warning
Note, when 7.0 came out, folks noticed significant changes about the filesystem layout, and note there were warnings about using boot media that's less than 32GB in size:
Good thing the bootable media included with all SuperServer Bundles since 2016 have been 32GB.
You will find all kinds of details in these articles, including dependencies and warnings.
So if you're going forward with lab testing this anyway, but you don't have a VMware support, then you absolutely must back up everything first!
License keys for vSphere 7 are another topic for another day, but one place that you can get 365 days of them for nearly every product VMware makes is the VMUG Advantage EVALExperience program, using TINKERTRY to get $20 off your $200 purchase. Absolutely worth every penny!
Download
Note, VCSA 6.7 was 3.41 GB, but vSphere 7.0 was 6.42 GB, and 7.0 Update 2c is 7.20 GB! Yes, there's a lot of increased functionality, and keeping perspective here, this is a heckuva lot smaller than installing Windows Server and SQL Server used to be. VCSA is now a Photon OS based slim Linux variant that only includes the code that's actually needed.
To get started with your lab testing, jump to the appropriate download section:
- If you have a free My VMware account
- If you're currently a vExpert
- If you're currently a VMUG Advantage EVALExperience subscriber
- If you're seeking the Free Hypervisor Download and License
1. If you have a My VMware account (free sign-up)
at my.vmware.com and haven't requested a trial in the last 60 days, the 2 links below should work, but won't give you access to license keys that are purchased separately at the VMware Store where you'll find that the VMware Essentials Kit is the most cost-effective option, unless you are eligible for the Academic Price. Per incident support is purchased separately, most helpful for VMware software issues on VMware HCL supported hardware, such as a Bundle.
- VMware vCenter Server Appliance 7.0U2c
7.20 GB
Name: VMware-VCSA-all-7.0.2-18356314.iso
Release Date: 2021-08-24
Build Number: 18356314
Note, as of Aug 26 2021, there is no ESXi 7.0U2c ISO download page yet, so for now, you can download and install the below 7.0U2a version, then use Lifecycle Manager or ESXCLI method to update it to 7.0U2c.
- VMware vSphere Hypervisor [ESXi ISO] image 7.0U2a
390.11 MB
Name: VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0U2a-17867351.x86_64.iso
Release Date: 2021-04-29
Build Number: 17867351
Licenses
Within 60 days, you'll want to apply your new vSphere 7 licenses from here:
my.vmware.com/group/vmware/my-licenses/by-folder
Troubleshooting Access
If you get a sad-trombone moment and are faced with an issue with accessing the downloads such as
Your evaluation has expired
Consider requesting a new vSphere 7 trial here:
my.vmware.com/en/web/vmware/evalcenter?p=vsphere-eval
See also alternative solutions I wrote up that may still work My VMware's "You either are not entitled or do not have permissions to download this product." error, and what to do about it., and this newer trick that may help.
2. If you're currently a vExpert
As of Aug 26 2021, it seems 7.0 Update 2c hasn't made it onto the vExpert Download section yet, but these instructions for downloading 7.0 should be similar enough to help you get by once it does come out.
- Log in to the download page at:
vexpert.vmware.com/my/downloads
then search for7.0.2at top right to find all new vSphere related downloads, or just search for each of these file names below: - The VCSA 7 appliance download you'll want is
VMware-VCSA-all-7.0.2-17920168.iso.gz, but Windows users will also need something like 7-zip to extract the iso from the fully-downloaded gz file. - The generic (non Dell or HP) ESXi download you'll likely want for most home labs is called
VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0U2a-17867351.x86_64.iso.gz
Type "7.0.1" in the search box at top right, then "7.0U2", to more easily find the downloads you are seeking.
Licenses
Within 60 days, you'll want to apply your new vSphere 7 licenses from here:
vexpert.vmware.com/my/licenses
3. If you're currently a VMUG Advantage EVALExperience subscriber
This is the VMUG Advantage download site for existing members, and here is the sign-up site, taking roughly one business day to process your payment and give you access to the downloads. Sorry weekend impulse tinkerers, next time, place your order on Thursday morning, OK?
The EVALExperience VCSA and ESXi 7.0 bits are now available for download using the direct link below. I've recorded this video of the ordering and downloading process on Apr 7 2020, once 7.0 Update 1 arrives on VMUG Advantage, the process will likely be quite similar. You don't have to wait, since you can also upgrade your VCSA 7.0 to 7.0U2c manually using VAMI then use the preferred Lifecycle Manager method of updating your ESXi hosts to 7.0U2c, or you can use the ESXCLI method of updating ESXi 7.0 to 7.0U2c.
STEP 0 - Become a member, or renew your membership if it expired
Mine had expired, so I renewed by clicking on UPGRADE TO ADVANTAGE. I'm told it usually takes one business day to process the order.
STEP 1 - Add to Cart
When prompted, just log-in, Add to Cart, disable any ad blockers for this page, then begin your download!
- VMware vCenter Server 7
This one item added to your shopping cart, place your order, and you'll see the exactly the 2 downloads you need!
STEP 2 - Check out
STEP 3 - Agree to the EULA
STEP 4 - Fill out SURVEY questions
Fill out answers to some basic product survey questions, takes about a minute
STEP 5 - Click NEXT to order
Your existing membership is your only cost, there is no additional cost for downloading any of the code you find in your portal. You'll now see a confirmation screen with the 2 license keys that you'll need to use in your lab once your installation is completed during the 60 day trial.
STEP 6 - Click on DOWNLOAD
Be sure ad blocker(s) are disabled for this url, or your download won't start.
As of August 26 2021, only 7.0U2a is available, here's the 2 files:
VMware vCenter Server 7.0 Update 2a
Name: VMware-VCSA-all-7.0.2-17920168.iso
Size: 7 GB
VMware vSphere Hypervisor [ESXi]
File: VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0U2a-17867351.x86_64.iso
Size: 372 MB
License Keys and Downloads retrieval
Keys were provided in STEP 5 above, but they can easily be retrieved any time by going in to your VMUG Advantage Order History, then clicking on the View Details button.
4. If you're seeking the Free Hypervisor Download and License
Apr 10 2020 Update - here's the new request URL:
my.vmware.com/en/group/vmware/evalcenter?p=vsphere-eval-7
and here's an excellent new article walking you right through all the steps
virten.net/2020/04/free-esxi-7-0-how-to-download-and-get-license-keys/
Not having access to VMware vSphere's best features that vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) enables are pretty severe restrictions these days, here's a good article Nakivo wrote about the limitations in Free VMware ESXi 6.7. I know some just have one system, or multiple systems they're cool with managing via the ESXi Host Client.
What I have little sympathy for are folks trying to get away with using this free version for a production environment. I actually talked to a bank once who was doing exactly that. Sigh.
Thoughts & Plans
Of course, I've already begun testing new Update 2 release briefly, and I do plan to do a more thorough test on my Xeon D-1500 8 and 12 core SuperServer Bundles.
I am still considering re-doing my popular How to build your awesome virtualization home lab with VMware vSphere 6.0 (ESXi & VCSA), especially now that I've found an insanely fast and affordable Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite that does the forward and reverse lookup and FQDN that VCSA loves, with lovely names instead of ugly IPs for everything, and no certificate errors. This router also avoids that clumsy hosts-file-editing stuff and kludgey router domain name hoops I resorted to jumping through last time around. Setting expectations properly, I need to disclose that finding the time and the support to undertake such a large effort is going to be a challenge. A lot has changed in vSphere in the 6 years since I created that video, and during that same time I've changed day jobs 3 times too. If you have a keen interest in seeing such a step-by-step networking and vSphere deployment walk through, please:
- consider a Patreon membership
- drop a comment below to indicate interest, no login required
- include @paulbraren in a tweet
Upgrades
I'm also working on my usual "How to easily update" set of VCSA and ESXi articles, with testing going well so far.
Video
Step-by-step video showing me upgrading my SYS-5028D-TN4T Bundle based on the Xeon D-1541, going from 6.7U3 to 7.0 in my home lab.
See also at TinkerTry
- All vSphere 7 articles
- My VMware vSphere 6.7 Update 3 Upgrade Experience
Aug 21 2019
- How to update any VMware ESXi Hypervisor to the latest using ESXCLI for easy download and install
Aug 14 2018, updated Aug 20 2019
See also
- Homelab considerations for vSphere 7
Mar 30 2020 by William Lam at virtuallyGhetto
Social
All Comments on This Article (19)
Very cool and interesting. Cisco is also moving away from USB/SD cards, and now offers Dual M2 in SATA mode just for local boot, on both their M6 racks and even X-Series blades. I love this solution, those USB/SD cards always had issues..
These are obviously more expensive than USB thumb-drives, but you can use them to test and swap. Gen2 is much easier to swap, though still not hotswap.
Dell is OK with it, they already have a better solution, for a a few years now, with the BOSS cards which use M.2 SATA drives on a pcie card. the drives on BOSS can also be setup in RAID1 or used as separate boot targets. I have a few R740s with these deployed in production...they work great. https://vinfrastructure.it/2018/12/installing-esxi-on-a-dell-emc-boss-card/
The latest gen BOSS 2 cards/modules can be removed without opening the chassis. https://youtu.be/-cpTbUALNA4
Cisco is end of life lots of their management software solutions. It seems like they are moving all such data center management to the cloud with Intersight. Only the UCS m5 and new m6 (and super-new x-series) can support intersight. IMHO, this is a great opportunity for home users who want to reproduce the true enterprise solution with getting a very cheap m3 series (e.g. the ucs c220m3 is the smallest/cheapest), if that's related to your job they are being dumped very cheap even during this time of extreme shortages of chips globally so the big corps can move to Cisco's intersight solution. Thought the community would like this little tidbit.
Happy New Year, @disqus_blogthis:disqus and congratulations on being TinkerTry's top commenter, I cannot thank you enough!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8f3366a84e429cd2b58d1cbb843c704d5dce8039ac8759f3d50f107de5b9ab4d.jpg
That is interesting, I too am lamenting the move away from USB which sure made home lab management simpler, see also:
https://TinkerTry.com/downloadvsphere7u3#see-also
All good points, so many options for home labs, all depends on what folks need to learn to do their jobs, such as replicating their work environment. I no longer have that need personally or professionally. I've also used HP, IBM/Lenovo, and Dell out of band management, they each have their own advantages and quirks. After a decade of heavy, old, loud rack gear, I gave up on that path back in 2012.
On a limited budget with expensive electricity here in Connecticut, I tend to save my pennies for fully supported solutions that are efficient and powerful and quiet, hoping for the successor to the Xeon D-1500 systems to arrive soon, see also
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/building-a-new-vm-server-looking-at-an-smc-xeon-d-2100-mb-or-should-i-wait-for-an-ice-lake-d.34162/
p.s. If you don't mind a 19" 1-RU host in your home lab, a lot of Cisco UCS with the RAID1 SD cards and vastly superior Cisco IMC compared to Supermicro Redfish IPMI are flooding the market for the older models that cannot have their firmware upgraded to run the new Cisco Intersight. I would recommend the M4 generation or higher, as the M3 and lower generation requires deprecated Java to access its IMC (whereas the M4 generation uses HTML5). This replicates the real-world if it's your job and perhaps it MAY be justifiable if you have the room and can stand the fan noise; but definitely not for most home labs just wanting to learn vSphere.
Thank you Briguy, but my issue is this one particular host has turned into a quasi-production server; which is why I said in my original lengthy-detailed post that I cannot guess. The contradictory information of if this particular Samsung PM983 DCT 1.9TB 110mm M2 NVMe will be supported or not says yes in some places and no in other articles. However the firmware I have is listed in the ESXi 7.0 supported list, so I agree this is a good sign. As for contacting VMware or Samsung Enterprise support, they require a very expensive support contract and I cannot use my work's contract for experimentation without justification. As mentioned below I use very small capacity discontinued Enterprise-class SATA SSD for boot. That being said, I've had Silent Data Corruption on the NVMe datastores before by doing this trick of 6.0 vs 6.5 vs 6.7, because they have different Inbox NVMe drivers built for specific drive firmware etc. So this is IMHO dangerous if you care about the data. To swap safely I migrate EVERYTHING off the NVMe datastore, then try the new driver, then when done experimenting with different ESXi, re-format the NVMe datastore and migrate everything back. The NVMe standard is still evolving and MOST brands and models, still do not have anywhere near the full feature sets of the older SATA SSD's without paying Intel Enterprise pricing for example; so unfortunately, making this swap of ESXi version is a lengthy process to play it safe - even for a home lab. But again, I really appreciate your time to post any suggestion and thoughts on this situation!
Removal of SD and USB will really upset Dell, Cisco, etc, who all sell enterprise servers with this option. Dell even ships ESXi pre-installed on USB for customers. Thankfully Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) servers have NEVER trusted a single unmirroed boot device, and have a very unique solution in the industry: They have a dual-SD card controller that runs in RAID1 and Emulates at BIOS a regular ATA boot drive, so that any ATA/SATA ESXi driver thinks it's a real boot drive, not just an SD card. FOR HOME LABS, I've found VERY CHEAP super-low capacity Enterprise-grade SATA SSD's being discontinued with supercapacitors and extremely high wear leveling DWPD ratings - which I use for boot drives without ANY problems. If you buy two of them, you can still swap boot device in BIOS for different experimental OS (e.g. ESXi 6.7 vs 7.0), during startup which I do all the time - and its easier than removing a USB stick and inserting another one; I simply do it while at my desk using the redfish IPMI Supermicro remote-control. Just a thought as a solution to this on a budget.
Thank you so much for the reply and thoughts. I purchased the Samsung PM983 DCT 1.9TB 110mm M2 NVMe because it is on the official VMware vSphere and the hardware of many SuperMicro supported list for very-similar system boards and BIOS they sell and are certified. I simply think Supermicro did not want to invest in repetitive qualification for their low-end SYS-5028D-TN4T or similar series. I can attest this drive with official Supermicro adapter WITH NVME 100MM HEATSYNC INSTALLED AS IT GETS HOT (PURCHASED 3RD-PARTY), that it has so far given me ZERO problems compared to my very problematic Intel P3520 NVMe which occasionally corrupts data for reasons unknown.... I only ever buy models with supercaps for the PowerLossProtection (PLP), enhanced endurance, and extended SMART diag capabilities. This is even for my home lab, because I usually use my home lab to replication something before it goes into an official pilot program for eventual production. Using a super-cheap or completely-untested drive in a home lab defeats the purpose of a home lab for me personally, e.g. it does not replication any real-world use case at my job. I guess that makes me a bit unique at this site, but the knowledge here is so outstanding I really enjoy reading the numerous deep-dives a few of which have been a lifesaver.
For a home lab, I agree NVMe speeds are great. Unfortunately for anything real-world, unless you buy Enterprise grade NVMe and configure SMART alerts carefully with custom scripts, these NVMe devices even if Enterprise-grade do not contain all of the SMART wear alerts or diags etc that vSphere has built-in or can understand... Regular SSD's have this functionality over slow SATA.. This means your NVMe drive may wear out and drop offline forever with zero warning as a primary datastore. I've had this happen several times now. For maximum endurance, the all-new Seagate IronWolf NAS 510 NVMe series have 300%+ more endurance for only a little bit more money than the cheap consumer stuff, and IMHO are more than sufficient and exceed even some of the Enterprise-grade NVMe DWPD ratings. You miss out on some cache for data protection, but it still does NOT have the power-loss-protection (PLP) at 80mm length, you need the longer 110mm length for the supercapacitors for PLP. But regardless of that, it compensate, it runs a tad bit slower due to lack of write-back cache as a tradeoff so its a LOT more stable and less likely to drop offline and have data loss. This is not a sales pitch, I have nothing to do with Seagate, but this new drive is really impressive and made for NAS and its endurance is worth checking out. Unfortunately no official VMware support of course but hey this is just for home labs, and for that purpose the best I've ever seen so far.
Thank you for typing this up, and you make great points! I also do this sort of testing too, handy for videos too. Sadly, given VMware is moving away from USB by necessity
https://TinkerTry.com/vsphere7u3video#see-also
this easy multi-boot will be less practical to do moving forward.
This is really more of a question for vmware or Samsung, but it is on the vmware 7 HCL and so will mostly likely just work. I'd be concerned if it didn't work with esxi 6.7, but if it's working under 6 it will probably just show up under 7.
You can test it without upgrading your current env. Just do a test esxi 7 install to a fresh USB drive and see if your data store is still there. This is a lab env, you should not be afraid of testing. You can always backup your env first, and or if you are installing to a USB drive (like the one that comes in the bundle), just power off - remove the OS drive and then deploy esxi 7 to a different USB drive and check. Then power down and plug back in the old USB drive (esxi 6.X). I do this all the time for testing. Even leaving a 6.7 and 7 esxi instal to two different USB drives and then just changing boot order to switch back and forth to do some testing.
I shed many tears over the suspension of Bundles too :(
https://TinkerTry.com/superservers
but I'm glad I was able to help keep it on the HCL for 6+ years, and I'm grateful to Wiredzone for well over a thousand Bundle customers.
Back to how on earth to best handle this. It's tough with consumer drives that aren't warranted for server use, but they're so much more affordable it's hard to not recommend something lie Samsung 970 EVO or Sabrent 4TB https://tinkertry.com/comprehensive-look-at-sabrent-4tb-m2-nvme-ssd
Also, Supermicro's list of Tested M.2 List
https://www.supermicro.com/en/support/resources/m2ssd?SystemID=84857&ProductName=SS5028D-TN4T
from their product page "tested M.2" link:
https://www.supermicro.com/products/system/midtower/5028/SYS-5028D-TN4T.cfm
has been horribly lacking during the entire life of the SYS-5028D-TN4T system, so I don't see any value in attempting to contacting Supermicro with a heads-up.
So it seems the best angle to resolve this is to contact Samsung support and inquire? Perhaps install that PM983 DCT 1.9TB on a Windows system so you can run whatever tools they want you to, to get more details on it for proper determination of whether your reseller provided you with the expected item?
Thank so much! Yes I tried some (but not all) of those commands and provided my server's output.
Speaking of Compatibility, every single thing is on the VMware HCL that I use. When I deep-dive learning operating systems, vSphere features, etc, I want certainty my home lab will behave exactly as it will when I deploy for "real" in my day job.
My system, each on official VMware HCL, or the SuperMicro HCL:
- SuperMicro SuperServer 12core you recommended bundle upgraded with SuperMicro RAM to 128GB all from Wired Zone in 2017 (amazing you got it on the HCL, and I shed a tear when I saw COVID forced its bundle to be discontinued from shortages).
- CyberPower VM to shutdown on power loss with supported CyberPower UPS (from your overall bundle article).
- SuperMicro AOC-SLG3-2M2 (adapter for the single PCIe slot into 2 of the 80 or 110mm enterprise M2 form factors (as required by the PM983 DCT series).
- Samsung PM983 DCT 1.9TB 110mm M2 NVMe; I ordered whats on the HCL but question is, what did they send me, and based on that is it on the HCL or not?
That is, pretty simple, all supported was my goal.
Basically, I think my main 2 questions boil down to this: (a) what drive exactly-exactly did I receive and (b) is it or is it not on the VMware HCL; which contradicts itself which you can see for yourself - by comparing the links I provided.
Wow, not sure where to begin, I'll start by thanking you for sharing this excellent information here at TinkerTry.com, where I don't have forums because I knew how important moderating them is in these days filled with spam.
Next, I'll dig in as best as I can, and share with you (and others reading along) some related articles:
https://TinkerTry.com/how-to-check-which-network-driver-your-esxi-server-is-currently-using
https://TinkerTry.com/check-nvme-ssd-firmware
and a twitter thread about shenanigans happening with SSDs lately, making things even tougher:
https://twitter.com/paulbraren/status/1433051761854586890
I also feel it's entirely too difficult to figure out if one's vSphere homelab is using completely supported elements (hardware and firmware) from the Hardware Compatibility Guide, with vLCM https://core.vmware.com/resource/introducing-vsphere-lifecycle-management-vlcm only helping with some components but not all.
I'll need to keep digging into this after doing some more research...
Hello! Please feel free to move this to any area that may be better suited; I couldn't figure out how to start an all-new blog/discussion thread, and this article seemed as close as I could find?
With vSphere 7.0-u2c patches now available (and equally-important critical plugins I need are now 7.0-compatible), I spent the weekend researching what will happen trying an upgrade from 6.7u3 straight to 7.0u2c....
Unfortunately, I've run into a bunch of contradictory info at VMware HCL for one of my NVMe storage drives.
Hoping for some help 100% positively identifying if I was sold an oddball OEM drive, or got what I ordered, and how to validate its 7.0-U2 compatibility.
I tried to buy this, as shown on Samsung and Amazon websites:
https://www.samsung.com/us/business/computing/memory-storage/enterprise-solid-state-drives/983-dct-1-9tb-mz-1lb1t9ne/
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-983-DCT-MZ-1LB1T9NE-Warranty/dp/B07HCHZBJ3
Model: 983 DCT 1.9TB (M.2)
Part: MZ-1LB1T9NE
Series: NVMe M.2 Enterprise SSD for Business
My Question:
What exact part, variation, etc, did I really get? This is not clear at all; As if intentionally obfuscated by Samsung, to the point VMware HCL is inconsistent.
Samsung DataCenter flash drives may use the same Series Name AND Firmware, but use Part Numbers to indicate Form Factors/Specs/OEM/rebranding/etc.
Example: BOTH of these drives are called PM983 DCT 1.9TB "SERIES", I have the m.2 form-factor.
M.2 (direct-attached PCIe in 22x110mm form factor) -> Fewer IOPS, fewer DWPD at 1.9TB, same FW, unique temp, etc (my drive).
U.2 (cable-extended PCIe in SSDx2.5inch form factor) -> More IOPS, more DWPD at 1.9TB, same FW, unique temp, etc (same name/series).
Unfortunately, I've run into odd uncertainty and conflicting info (details, links, deep-dive are below).
For Samsung 983 DCT series DataCenter NVMe drives, VMware HCL uses interchangeably and contradictory Part number vs Product number (which is a false assumption for Samsung).
Even searching VMware Compatibility Guide with exact VID/DID values from ESXCLI reveals different drives, OEM editions of it, unique firmware I can't find, etc.
For example:
VMware says in ARTICLE = MY Model/Part Number = MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV
VMware says in ESXCLI = MY Product Number = MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007VMware articles contradict themselves on firmware for SAME exact drive; A few say EDA79M5Q, but other articles say EDA7602Q.
This is critical to know before I upgrade ESXi 6.7u3 to 7.0u2, to avoid having my NVMe datastore vanish, as reported by many others on the internet theorized because of the all-new ESXi 7.0 NVMe driver now very picky about NVMe drives following newer specs (to emphasize this, VMware renamed its VIB from 6.0/6.5/6.7's "nvme" to 7.0's "nvme_pcie").
This search for my specific MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007 which instead, brings up MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/vcl/result.php?search=MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007&searchCategory=all&%26lpos%3Dapps_scodevmw+%3A+0=Search
Ugh, this is never good...I've run into a simply Crazy weird amount of scrambled data on VMware's site for Samsung NVMe drives!
==== ESXCLI DETAILED-VIEW: ====
Walkthrough of my confusion, and thus concern......
Using with the VMware Official HCL/VIB/FW guide here:
https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1027206
[root@esxi1:~] vmkchdev -l | grep vmhba1
0000:08:00.0 144d:a808 144d:a801 vmkernel vmhba1
VID (Vendor ID) = 144dDID (Device ID) = a808SVID (Sub-Vendor ID) = 144dSDID (Sub-Device ID) = a801
[root@esxi1:~] esxcli device driver list
Device Driver Status KB Article
------ -------- ------ ----------
vmnic0 igbn normal
vmhba1 nvme normal
vmnic3 ixgben normal
vmnic2 ixgben normal
vmnic1 igbn normal
vmhba0 vmw_ahci normal
[root@esxi1:~] esxcli nvme device list
HBA Name Status Signature
-------- ------ ---------------------
vmhba1 Online nvmeMgmt-nvme00080000
[root@esxi1:~] esxcli nvme device get -A vmhba1
Controller Identify Info:
PCIVID: 0x144d
PCISSVID: 0x144d
Model Number: SAMSUNG MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007
Firmware Revision: EDA7602Q
[...redacted Serial Number and large output...]
[root@esxi1:~] esxcli software vib list
Name Version Vendor Acceptance Level Install Date
----------------------------- ------------------------------------ -------- ---------------- ------------
igbn 1.4.10-1OEM.670.0.0.8169922 INT VMwareCertified 2020-08-15
ixgben 1.8.7-1OEM.670.0.0.8169922 INT VMwareCertified 2020-08-15
synology-nfs-vaai-plugin 1.2-1008 Synology VMwareAccepted 2020-08-15
nvme 1.2.2.28-4vmw.670.3.132.17167734 VMW VMwareCertified 2021-05-04
[...redacted long list of usual VIB's not updated...]
[root@esxi1:~] esxcli software vib list | grep -i nvme
nvme 1.2.2.28-4vmw.670.3.132.17167734 VMW VMwareCertified 2021-05-04
vmware-esx-esxcli-nvme-plugin 1.2.0.36-2vmw.670.3.116.16713306 VMware VMwareCertified 2021-05-04
==== So much for the easy-button... Now, for the deep-dive! ====
VMware official HCL:
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io
VMware link to specific HCL for my drive's exact VID/DID:
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io&details=1&VID=144d&DID=a808&SVID=144d&SSID=a801&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
==== 1 of 5 Same VID/DID# ID's: Specific Model -> Up To ESXI 6.7 only with Unique/Unknown Firmware?? ====
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=49624&deviceCategory=io&details=1&releases=485&VID=144d&DID=a808&SVID=144d&SSID=a801&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
Model : Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV (1.92TB, M.2)
Device Type : NVMe
DID : a808
Brand Name : Samsung
SVID : 144d
Number of Ports: 1
SSID : a801
VID : 144d
Supported = Up to ESXi 6.7 U3
VIB driver = nvme version 1.2.2.28-1vmw
Supported but What/Where is this Firmware (OEM?) = EDA79M5Q = Dont have, Cant find
==== 2 of 5 Same VID/DID# ID's: Generic Model -> ESXI 6.7 =====
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=47466&deviceCategory=io&details=1&releases=485&VID=144d&DID=a808&SVID=144d&SSID=a801&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
Model : Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series (1.92TB, M.2)
Device Type : NVMe
DID : a808
Brand Name : Samsung
SVID : 144d
Number of Ports: 1
SSID : a801
VID : 144d
Supported = Up to ESXi 6.7 U3
VIB driver = nvme version 1.2.2.28-1vmw
Supported by Current Firmware = EDA7202Q, EDA7402Q, EDA7602Q -> my drive has :EDA7602Q
==== 3 of 5 Same VID/DID# ID's: ESXI 7.0 ====
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=47466&deviceCategory=io&details=1&releases=518&VID=144d&DID=a808&SVID=144d&SSID=a801&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
Model : Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series (1.92TB, M.2)
Device Type : NVMe
DID : a808
Brand Name : Samsung
SVID : 144d
Number of Ports: 1
SSID : a801
VID : 144d
Supported = Up to ESXi 7.0 U2
VIB driver = nvme_pcie version 1.2.3.11-1vmw
Supported by Current Firmware = EDA7602Q
==== 4 of 5 Searched by EXACT Part/Product ((instead of VID/DID)) =====
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=vfrc&productid=46850&vcl=true
Model : Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV (1.92TB, M.2)
Part Number: MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV
Product: MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007
ONLY SUPPORTED BY ESXI UP TO 6.7 U3 THEN DISCONTINUED (??)
UnSupported Firmware ESXi 7.0 = EDA79M5Q (??)
==== 5a of 5 Searched by GENERAL Product ((instead of VID/DID)) =====
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=vfrc&productid=45924&vcl=true
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=49624&vcl=true
Model : Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series (1.92TB, M.2)
Part Number: MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007
Product: MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007
FULLY SUPPORTED BY ESXi 6.0 UP TO ESXi 7.0 U2 (vSAN 7.0 Update 2)
Supported Firmware ESXi 6.0/6.5/6.7/7.0 = EDA7602Q
But alas, I still don't know my exact drive model..... if I have this one, it should work?
==== 5b of 5 Searched by GENERAL Product ((instead of VID/DID)) =====
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=49624&vcl=true
Model : Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV (1.92TB, M.2)
Driver: nvme_pcie version 1.2.2.14-1vmw
Firmware: N/A
But alas, I still don't know my exact drive model..... if I have this one, it won't work and need to return it?
====================
ESXI 6.7 U3:COMPLETE LISTING ALL SAMSUNG NVME SUPPORTED
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io&details=1&partner=82&releases=485&deviceTypes=22&page=9&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
ESXI 7.0 U2: COMPLETE LISTING ALL SAMSUNG NVME SUPPORTED
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io&details=1&partner=82&releases=518&deviceTypes=22&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
====== ESXi 6.7 U3 - Specific-supported requirements: =======
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=47466&deviceCategory=io&details=1&partner=82&releases=485&deviceTypes=22&page=8&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
inbox nvme driver/version: "nvme" vib 1.2.2.28-1vmw
Samsung firmware version: EDA7202Q, EDA7402Q, EDA7602Q
**and/or ESXI 6.7 U3 PATCH **
inbox nvme driver/version: "nvme" vib 1.2.2.28-4vmw
Samsung firmware version (Unknown/Cant find?): CP31
====== ESXi 7.0 U2 - Specific-supported requirements: =======
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=47466&deviceCategory=io&details=1&partner=82&releases=518&deviceTypes=22&page=7&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=Asc
inbox nvme driver/version: "nvme_pcie" vib 1.2.3.11-1vmw
Samsung firmware version: EDA7602Q
*** Reminder: ESXi 7.0 renamed its VIB driver "nvme" to "nvme_pcie", and its very different now.
Summary:
My best guess... and I cannot guess before upgrading.
If I was sold this drive, then ESXi 6.7u3 is the final version supported by its legacy inbox "nvme" VIB driver:
Part Number: MZ1LB1T9HALS-000MV
Final firmware = EDA79M5Q
However, if I was sold this drive, then ESXi 7.0u2 and onwards are supported by its all-new, renamed inbox "nvme_pcie" VIB driver:
Product: MZ1LB1T9HALS-00007
Latest firmware = EDA7602Q
If I have the correct physical iteration of this drive (which I cannot 100% verify is OEM or other in the series); Then in general, the 983 DCT series "should" be supported by ESXi 7.0 (but I need "100% for sure"):
VMware = Samsung NVMe SSD PM983 Series (1.92TB, M.2)
Exact Drive Model = ????????
VMware 6.7 = SUPPORTED Firmware: EDA7202Q, EDA7402Q, EDA7602Q (or EDA79M5Q)VMware 7.0 = SUPPORTED Firmware: EDA7602Q (only!)
This scrambled, conflicting information at official VMware HCL and articles, makes me nervous......
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Paul Braren | TinkerTry.com
Yay, that is good to hear, it's about time! See also:
https://TinkerTry.com/more-reliable-booting-of-esxi-7-from-microsd
and it's been interesting to see how VMware has relented on this a bit...