ESXi8.0 Huawei FC IN300 2x16GB driver problem

[Train_user]

Hi,

I would vmware from 7.0 to 8.0 the servers has inserted NIC cards IN300, I trying this:

1. update from vcenter(basline), ending with this error:

2. update from vcenter(baseline) with customized ISO(inserted missing drivers). endig with error

On platform embeddedEsx, VIB Huawei_bootbank_hifc_3.2.0.18-1OEM.650.0.0.4598673 requires vmkapi_2_4_0_0, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile.

3. clean install on host, with official ISO. installation successful, ofc, without visible nic cards. 

I have downloaded two version of drivers, from vmware Huawei_bootbank_hifc_3.2.0.20-1OEM.650.0.0.4598673.vib and from huawei Huawei_bootbank_hifc_3.2.0.18-1OEM.650.0.0.4598673.vib

when I try install drivers to clean installation of esxi from cli, with drivers from vmware, ending with tis error:

My question is, am I doing something wrong, or are there really no supported drivers for these cards(yet)?

Thnaks for any reply.

[scott28tt]

I have reported your post to the moderators, asking them to move it to the area for ESXi.

[Train_user]

Sorry for wrong section 😶

[Kinnison]

Hi,

Giving credit to the compatibility list, the HCL, your FC HBA exists under the same name in several versions and none go beyond ESXi 7.0U2/U3 please, have a look here:
https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io&details=1&partner=242&ke...

So, apart from an outdated VMKapi-based driver whose support has been removed since version 7.0 onwards (practically useless), in a production context an upgrade to a version for which there is no explicit support for your systems / devices is not recommended at all. IMHO the risk is not worth the game.

Regards,
Ferrdinando

[Train_user]

Hi,

what I thought was confirmed 😞 So, we must change FC cards in servers..

Thank you for help.

[Kinnison]

@Train_user, Hi,

Unfortunately it is not the first time that it ends like this, if you consult the list of "deprecated" devices with the introduction of ESXi 8.0 you will find almost all of the most common 16 Gbit/sec FC HBAs, the others with lower speeds had already been deprecated earlier with the introduction of ESXi 7.0.

Check out this article: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/88172

Regards,
Ferdinando