ESXi 5.0.0 U1 and two-bay NAS

[balubeto]

Hi

Where can I find the two-bay NAS that are fully compatible with VMware vSphere hypervisor (ESXi) 5.0.0 U1?

Thanks

Bye

[djradium]

Usually on the hardware compatibility list.

I am using an Iomega StorCenter IX-200 which works fine with ESX 5 U1

[mcowger]

http://www.vmware.com/go/hcl will have all of them.

The iomega works well, as do the QNAP systems

(disclaimer, I work for EMC, parent company for iomega).

[balubeto]

In this hardware compatibility list, how do I filter only the two-bay NAS?

Thanks

Bye

[golddiggie]

To be 100% compatible, it needs to be on the VMware HCL for that release. The majority of the QNAP devices, that are not part of the TS-x79 line, don't list ESXi 5.x.

That being said, I have one of the 5 bay TS-559 ProII models in my home lab using iSCSI to connect to LUNs on it I've created for my VM's to live on (connecting to the host via my managed switch). So, even though it's not on the HCL, it works. Before I add another host, though, I do plan on getting another chassis/device that DOES list being compatible with ESXi 5.x...

I would advise caution when going with a 2 drive NAS. Performance won't be that great, if you set it up for redundancy. If you opt to stripe the drives, you run a high risk of losing everything if one of them fails. IMO, go with either 4+ drives under RAID 10, or at least 5 drives under RAID 5.

[balubeto]

In this hardware compatibility list, how do I filter only the two-bay NAS?

Thanks

Bye

[djradium]

There is nothing in he HCL to filter by two bay NAS, this is the kind of research you should do prior to checking the HCL.

Research a list of two bay NAS drives which have the feature set you require then cross reference them on the HCL.

[oryxcomp]

QNAP TS-259 Pro+ is a two bay device, it's on VMware's HCL and I am using it myself for testing purposes and I can confirm that it's 100% compatible.

[balubeto]

Are you really sure that this NAS is on the list I do not find it http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=san&partner=316&releases=168... ?

However, you confirm that it works correctly with VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 5.0.0 U1?

Thanks

Bye

[oryxcomp]

Sorry for that, you are right its not on HCL for 5 U1, it is on HCL for 4.x and that was the actual version at the time we begun using it and when we upgraded to 5 U1 we continued using it with no issues at all. Usually when QNAP's are not compatible with VMware you can create and use datastore on it through iSCSI but from time to time that datastore disconnects from host for no obvious reason. No such issues with TS-259 Pro+ and TS-459 Pro II we use.

[oryxcomp]

One more thing to mention. I want to remind you that this setup is for testing purposes only and not in the production environment. I don't know what are your requirements regarding number of VM's you want to run and also IOPS but I believe you will have performance issues in all but most simplest setup if you use TS-259 Pro+ or similar.

For the production we use IBM DS3200 storage.

Haven't tried some of the x79 series of QNAP's so I can't say how they perform.