HP Microserver Gen 10 Plus and vmware ESXi 7.x

[kev2021]

Hi all,

 

Does anyone here use a Hp Microserver gen 10 plus (xeon processor version, not pentium processor) and use vmware esxi 7 on it?

Did it install ok?  I’m seeing it is on the vmware compatibility list BUT when looking online, lots of posts of people saying the raid is software raid so vmware wont see the drives in microserver, you need to get a raid card so i’m slightly confused as to why it is on the compatibility list if you need extra stuff to make it compatible.  Someone else has said you put in in SATA mode and it works, someone else said they had to install esxi on a USB stick and plug that into the USb port and boot from that and use a external drive to store the VM’s, which to me defaults the purpose entirely of having a microserver with 4 drive bays you effectively can’t use.

I have an existing HP Microserver gen8 which has been fine but I’m basically reaching the limitations of it now.. number of VMs is now maxed for the 16GB ram it can take and also esxi 7 isn’t supported on the gen 8 to my knowledge and version of esxi i have only goes up to 2012 server OS so considering getting the Gen 10 plus which can take 32Gb ram, version 7 will support higher versions of windows server OS and hopefully will support win 11 when it comes out plus the box is now smaller due to PSU being outside the case.  Also my HD’s in my sever are getting on a bit now so might be a good idea to buy new, set it up and then migrate across and then sell my HP microserver gen 8 as I have 2 of them as i can’t fun all my VM’s on 1.  1 is a dev one i use to mess around with stuff in separate network and one is my main one.  I used to run both on 1 box but ran into memory limitations when started to run SCCM so moved it to a separate box but now I’m thinking i could sell box HP Gen 8’s and put it all back on the gen 10 as HD space isn’t too much, limiting factor is mostly memory.

Thanks

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

HP purchased Compaq back in the day and I loved Compaq servers.

Have you looked at PowerEdge T40 Tower Server or simular, as I have used similar on a couple of client sites in the past (standalone) and have proven a good investment.

Dell support was great and we can muddle thru compatibility with VM’s / RAID controllers  later if that helps ?

 

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[kev2021]

Hi, oo I see we have a new category now, thanks!

 

I haven’t but personally I’m not a fan of Dell.  Company i work for has recently moved to Dell for hardware and I have to say, they are truely appalling.  We have had soo many issue “out of the box” that is is awful.  Not to mention the ongoing issues.

I was looking at the HP microserver as the Gen 8 has been a nice little machine and the HP Gen 10 Plus is half the height and would be ideal but i’m not too sure about the compatibility with esxi.  it shows on the list bu as mentioned some varied reports on if it does/doesn’t work.  I bought the Gen 8 microservers for a good price due to cashback on offer etc but the Hp Gen 10 plus woudl be a fair bit more investment but as I’ve had no issues with the Gen 8 microserver, it’s been rock solid, albeit in a home environment, it on all the time and just sits there, its doesn’t make much noise, and just does what it says on the tin and has a ilo port so i can access it remotely if required, which is rare but very handy on odd occasion i do :)

Thanks

 

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Created the new Category just for you

Alas, not so knowledgeable with HP Severs but do understand your frustration with HP Gen 10 Plus requiring an additional RAID Controller,

Is this the reference you used for VM ?

https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php

 

For the kit I have used, I always include hardware RAID for performance  – Alas a sales inquiry to HP technical or your own supplier to gain absolute clarity is your safest bet

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[kev2021]

Yes, if you select HP, Tower and ESXi 7.0.2 it shows 2 x Hp Gen 10 plus on the compatibility list but no mention of needing a raid card.  As said looking on line in general searches on google shows 1 person saying you just change bios from UEFI to SATA and it works fine, another saying you need to use bootable USB stick and external storage so not too sure but as its a bit pricey, I don’t want to buy it, find it doesn’t work and then need to spend more on a controller card as they are probably 2 or 300 quid on there own.  The ilo card is extra (30 quid) just need to see if need advanced or standard license but hopefully make do with standard license and can always upgrade later if required but hopefully not.

Vmware’s site doesn’t indicate in compatibility to say “you need raid controller or change bios mode etc”

Plan would be to then sell my 2 x HP microserver gen 8’s if possible.

Thanks

Kev

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[kev2021]

Thanks for creating the category just for me :)

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

If you do contact HP technical sales, let us know the outcome as I am sure this for many is a something that would be most useful ?

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[kev2021]

Sure, will do :)

Kev

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[kev2021]

Hi all so a small update…

Hp Gen 10 plus is working ok, however, i have noticed vmware have released ESXi 8.0… and guess what….. not compatible with my HP gen10 plus :( rather disappointed to say the least considering the cost of it…. however HP have released a “Gen 2” version which *is* compatible…. soo annoying, the hp gen 10 plus is not cheap, nto to mention the raid card etc required on top, its best part of 1k by the time you buy the box, raid card, additional memory, drives etc…. I’m now loathed to buy the gen2 as they are a higher price…..

Only reason to move to esxi 8 is for win11 support, ver7 doesn’t seem to support win11 due to TPM I believe.  There *may* be a work around if i update to esxi 7.0.3u (currently on 7.0.2u due to 3u being pulled when i set mine up due to issues) so i *might* do the update but need to find out more about it to see if win11 does indeed work or if its more hit and miss and a bit of messing about.

bit disappointed in HP tbh. it’s not like win11 wasn’t out when they produced the gen 10 plus

Kev

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On kev2021 said

Hi all so a small update…

 

… bit disappointed in HP tbh. it’s not like win11 wasn’t out when they produced the gen 10 plus

Kev

Far from ideal, glad you are still training and learning

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[kev2021]

Trying too slowly, in a bit of a dead end job tbh and way things are looking, long term future and job security isn’t looking too clever so trying to learn something i want to move into but will no doubt be a problem as no experience so might not manage to get a job in it anyway…

Kev

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[UK Sentinel]

Most of us, myself included have had a few roles over the years, especially in the tech sector, persistence is the only way and the Public sector maybe an avenue to look at further, especially with regards to training and future career paths within the public sector

 

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[kev2021]

Yes, at the moment with the way things are looking, I’m trying to do some training when I can.  I mean I’ve setup MECM etc but I have not done it as you would probably in a “corporate” / “Professional” environment i.e. different Accounts with different permissions i.e. 1 account used for installations, 1 account used for DB etc, I have used the same account for installation, DB, installs and the DB sits on the same server as MECM which in a real world scenario the DB is likely sat on a separate DB server or cluster even and handled/maintained by DB guys.

Mine was purely a get it up and running and play with it and learn it.  My thinking was all the setup is going to be already done because they would be using it already so I’d be accessing a pre-built/setup setup and need to add new drivers, apps, patches etc and role them out as required.

There is a lot I cannot do i.e. linking to MSAzure in the cloud, intune stuff etc as you need a account etc and it cost to set it up and use it etc and I’ve gone as far as i can go financially wit it by getting the box etc.

So will see what happens..

Kev

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