vSAN certified storage controllers?

[IamSpartacus]

I'm looking to turn my 4th vSAN node (currently computer only) into a storage contributing node. What are some good inexpensive options as far as vSAN certified storage controllers are concerned?

@whitey What HBA's are you using in your cluster?

 

[whitey]

I'm looking to turn my 4th vSAN node (currently computer only) into a storage contributing node. What are some good inexpensive options as far as vSAN certified storage controllers are concerned?

@whitey What HBA's are you using in your cluster?

I'm using LSI 2008 ctrl's in mine, I don't think they are on HCL anymore but work PERFECTLY well w/ vSAN.

What's funny is there are some vendor LSI 2008 models supported but they yanked LSI9211-8i's. BS I say, w/ IT mode they are 600 QD.

 

[whitey]

UPDATE: Here you go, it's kinda hidden, I call it BYOD vSAN :-D

VMware Compatibility Guide - vsan

I/O ctrl, LSI, ESXi 6.0U2, SAS selected and came up w/ short list of:

SAS9207-4i4e
SAS9207-8i
SAS9215-4i4e
SAS9215-8i
SAS9217-4i4e

Looks like'official' LSI 9211-8i support was dropped after 5.5

 

[IamSpartacus]

UPDATE: Here you go, it's kinda hidden, I call it BYOD vSAN :-D

VMware Compatibility Guide - vsan

I/O ctrl, LSI, ESXi 6.0U2, SAS selected and came up w/ short list of:

SAS9207-4i4e
SAS9207-8i
SAS9215-4i4e
SAS9215-8i
SAS9217-4i4e

Looks like'official' LSI 9211-8i support was dropped after 5.5

I saw that but when you select "All Flash" those LSI cards go away .

 

[whitey]

Indeed, couldn't find a combo there w/ LSI either, even looked for Avago unless my eyes crossed. Seems strange as I KNOW several vendors on the vSAN ready nodes list uses LSI ctrls and offer all-flash. Have to dig further. The list for hybrid lists LSI 2208/2308 I believe ctrls now.

FWIW, I run vSAN AFA w/ LSI 2008 (mix of 9211-8i's, Dell Perc H310's, and LSI 9210-8i's), no issues whatsoever here.

EDIT: I see a 'Cisco 12G Modular SAS Pass through Controller' that I can clearly see uses LSI so i assume 12Gbps ='s 3008 or whatever that newer 12Gbps sas chipset is.

Also see 'Quanta SAS 3008' and 'SMC3008' tah dah, what a scam LOL

So take that HCL list w/ a grain of salt unless you ABSOLUTELY need a supported (by VMware)/validated config. Seems like some shady business to me forcing latest/greatest HW.

 

[IamSpartacus]

Indeed, couldn't find a combo there w/ LSI either, even looked for Avago unless my eyes crossed. Seems strange as I KNOW several vendors on the vSAN ready nodes list uses LSI ctrls and offer all-flash. Have to dig further. The list for hybrid lists LSI 2208/2308 I believe ctrls now.

FWIW, I run vSAN AFA w/ LSI 2008 (mix of 9211-8i's, Dell Perc H310's, and LSI 9210-8i's), no issues whatsoever here.

EDIT: I see a 'Cisco 12G Modular SAS Pass through Controller' that I can clearly see uses LSI so i assume 12Gbps ='s 3008 or whatever that newer 12Gbps sas chipset is.

Also see 'Quanta SAS 3008' and 'SMC3008' tah dah, what a scam LOL

So take that HCL list w/ a grain of salt unless you ABSOLUTELY need a supported (by VMware)/validated config. Seems like some shady business to me forcing latest/greatest HW.

I just looked at my vSAN Health monitoring screen and what's funny is my LSI2008 (IBM ServeRAID M1015) reported as on the HCL but my two LSI2116 controllers report as not on the HCL. Go figure.