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Chapter 2 System Requirements
Processors–FasterprocessorsimproveESX Server 3performance.Forcertain
workloads,largercachesimproveESX Server 3performance.
Hardwarecompatibility–ToensurethebestI/Operformanceandworkload
management,VMwareESX Server 3providesitsowndriversforsupported
devices.Besurethatthedevicesyouuseinyourserveraresupported.For
additionaldetailsonI/Odevicecompatibility,downloadtheESX ServerI/O
CompatibilityGuidefromwww.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.
Hardware and Software Compatibility
Formoreinformationonsupportedhardwareandsoftware,downloadtheESX Server
CompatibilityGuidesfromwww.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html.
Systemscompatibility–Liststhestandardoperatingsystemsandserver
platformsagainstwhichVMwaretests.
I/Ocompatibility–Listsdevicesthatareaccesseddirectlythroughdevicedrivers
intheESX Serverhost.
Storagecompatibility–ListsthecombinationsofHBAsandstoragedevices
currentlytestedbyVMwareanditsstoragepartners.
Backupsoftwarecompatibility–Describesthebackuppackagestestedby
VMware.
Supported Guest Operating Systems
TheVMwareGuestOperatingSystemInstallationGuideincludesinformationon
supportedguestoperatingsystems.Youcandownloadthisdocumentat:
http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pubs.html
ESX Serverofferssupportforanumberof64‐bitguestoperatingsystems.See theGuest
OperatingSystemInstallationGuideforacompletelist.
Therearespecifichardwarerequirementsfor64‐bitguest
operatingsystemsupport.
ForAMDOpteron‐basedsystems,theprocessorsmustbeOpteronRevEandlater.For
IntelXeon‐basedsystems,theprocessorsmustincludesupportforIntelVirtualization
Technology(VT).ManyserversthatincludeCPUswithVTsupportmightshipwithVT
disabledbydefault,andVTmust
beenabledmanually.IfyourCPUssupportVTbut
youdonotseethisoptionintheBIOS,contactyourvendortorequestaBIOSversion
thatletsyouenableVTsupport.
Todeterminewhetheryourserverhasthenecessarysupport,youcanuseaCPU
CompatibilityToolathttp://www.vmware.com/download/vi/drivers_tools.html.
