C220 M3 Raid LSI

[prasad.gsmc]

Hi,

I am trying to install Cisco C220 M3. I have to get an ESXI 5.5 custom cisco image up and running. While booting, I was asked to press Control M for LSI Megaraid software raid. 

I have created vd0 and vd1. 300GB and 700GB respectively.

But once I start ESXI insall, it is not listing any of the drive ? no Hard disk detected !

I am aware that the ESXI cannot go with embedded software raid. But can I disable the raid itself and treat it as two hard disks as in in any x86 ?

How do I verify whether I am having a software RAID or a hardware RAID controller ?

The firmware is updated to be the latest 2.0 (Including cimc, bios etc). if ESXI is not possible, can I installed Win2012 on this hardware ?

regards

Prasad

[Keny Perez]

ESXi is supported on our platforms, you still need to use our compatibility matrix to be sure about the compatibility of all the components so you can use this tool to check it out:

http://www.cisco.com/web/techdoc/ucs/interoperability/matrix/matrix.html

By being asked to press Ctrl+M you confirm that the embedded RAID controller is the one enabled, which confirms what you stated above (that the embedded RAID controller is not supported for ESXi installations):

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/hw/C200M1/install/c200M1/RAID.html#pgfId-1014343 << You can confirm here the different key combinations for the different type of controllers.

Follow this guide to disable the embedded RAID controller:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/c/hw/C220/install/C220/raid.html#pgfId-1029510

After the embedded controller is disabled, go to the Server tab > BIOS> Advanced tab> Scroll down to the bottom and disable all the option ROMs for the PCIe and mezzanine slots EXCEPT for the slot where your hardware RAID controller will be installed and attempt the installation again with a Cisco customized version of the ESXi installer which will include the drivers.

HTH,

-Kenny