VMware ESX Manual

A SERVICE OF

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VMware, Inc. 83

Chapter 7 Installing VMware ESX Server Software

LUN Requirements

AlthoughESX Serversupportsupto256LUNsforoperation,theinstallersupportsa

maximumof128LUNs.Ifyouhavemorethan128LUNs,connectthemafterthe

installationiscomplete.TheminimumsupportedLUNcapacityforVMFS3is1200MB.

AnESX Serverhostsupportsonlythefirst256LUNsloadedat

boottime.Yourboot

volumemustbeencounteredinthefirst256LUNs,ortheESX Serverhostcanstop

respondingatstartup.Ifyouhaveacontrollerloading256LUNsbeforetheboot

volume,reducethenumberofLUNsonthatcontrollerto256orless.

Ifyouhavenot

installedESX Serversoftware,arrangePCIcontrollercardstodetermine

theLUNorder.

VMwarerecommendsthatyoudonotrearrangedrivecontrollersamongPCIslotsafter

youinstalltheESX Serversoftware.

IfyouwantanESX ServerhosttobootfromaSAN,allocateanentireLUNtoeach

ESX Serverhost.See theSAN

ConfigurationGuideforpost‐installationconfiguration.

See “RequiredPartitions”onpage 97foradescriptionofVMFS.

ESX ServersoftwaredoesnotsupportbootingfromasharedLUN.Ifyouinstall

ESX ServersoftwareontoasharedLUN,youmightoverwritethedataontheshared

LUN.

Youmustdeterminethestatusofyouravailable

LUNs.Theinstallercannotdetermine

ifaLUNisshared.

Installing ESX Server

See theUpgradeGuidetoupgradefromapreviousESX Serverversion.

Prepareforthisinstallationbyreading“PreparingtoInstall”onpage 81.

CAUTIONVMwarerecommendsthatyoudisconnecttheSANbeforeyoubeginthe

ESX Serverinstallprocess.Thereisoneexception:IfyouarebootingfromaSAN,then

onlythesystemLUNshouldbepresentedtotheESX Server.AllotherLUNsshouldnot

bepresentedtotheESX Serverduringtheinstallprocess.