Enable the megaraid_sas Driver

To ensure the proper operation of VMware ESXi, you must install the megaraid_sas driver for the Oracle Storage 12 Gb/s SAS PCIe RAID Internal HBA (host bus adapter). Then, you must disable the default driver. To change the HBA driver, see the following procedure.

1. Reset or power on the server to access the VMware ESXi direct console.

   For example, to reset the server, do one of the following:

   • From the local server, press the Power button on the front panel of the server (for approximately 1 second) to power off the server, and then press the Power button again to power on the server.

   • From the Oracle ILOM web interface, select Host Management → Power Control, and then select Reset from the Select Action list box.

   • From the Oracle ILOM command-line interface, type reset /System.

2. In the direct console screen, press the F2 key to select Customize System/View Logs.
3. Log in to the VMware ESXi server.

   The System Customization screen appears.

4. In the System Customization screen, select Troubleshooting Options.

   The Troubleshooting Mode Options screen appears.

5. In the Troubleshooting Mode Options screen, enable the following:

   • ESXi Shell

   • SSH

6. On a system with network access to the VMware ESXi management port, use an SSH client to connect to the server.

   Directions will vary depending on the SSH client. In general, you will need to provide the IP address or hostname of the server as well as user credentials.

   The VMware ESXi prompt appears.

7. Download the VMware ESXi Driver for LSI MegaRAID SAS Adapters zip file from the VMware web site at:

   https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=DT-ESXI55-LSI-SAS-MEGARAID_SAS-660355001VMW&productId=353.

8. Extract the megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-1712343.zip file.
9. Copy the megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip file to the /tmp directory on the ESXi server:

   [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # cd vmfs/volumes/cert_datastore_UEFI/
   /vmfs/volumes/53dfb90c-df6f16cf-7366-0010e057792c # scp  root@192.168.1.30:/root/megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip
   .root@192.168.1.30's password scp megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip root@10.182.93.62:/tmp/
   megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip  100%   57KB  56.9KB/s   00:00: password
   megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip 100%   57KB   56.9KB/s   00:00    
   /vmfs/volumes/53dfb90c-df6f16cf-7366-0010e057792c #
   

10. Issue the following command to verify that the Oracle Storage 12 Gb/s SAS PCIe RAID Internal HBA is using the lsi_mr3 native mode driver:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # esxcfg-scsidevs -a 
    vmhba38 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba38 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller 
    vmhba39 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba39 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller 
    vmhba0 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba0 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller 
    vmhba1 lsi_mr3 link-n/a pscsi.vmhba1 (0:3:0.0) LSI MegaRAID SAS Invader Controller 
    vmhba40 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba40 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller 
    .
    .
    .

11. Put the host into maintenance mode:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ vim-cmd /hostsvc/maintenance_mode_enter

12. Install the megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip file from the /tmp/ directory:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # esxcli software vib install -d "/tmp/megaraid_sas-6.603.55.00-offline_bundle-1712343.zip"
    Installation Result 
    Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
    Reboot Required: true 
    VIBs Installed: LSI_bootbank_scsi-megaraid-sas_6.603.53.00-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820
    VIBs Removed: VMware_bootbank_scsi-megaraid-sas_5.34-9vmw.550.2.33.2068190 
    VIBs Skipped:
    

13. Reboot the host, and then reconnect to it using an SSH client.

    To reboot the host, you can issue the reboot command.

14. Issue the following command to verify that the LSI scsi-megaraid-sas installation bundle is present:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # esxcli software vib list
    Name                    Version                            Vendor  Acceptance Level   Install Date
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    scsi-megaraid-sas      6.603.53.00-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820    LSI     VMwareCertified    2014-04-23
    ata-pata-amd           0.3.10-3vmw.550.0.0.1331820         VMware  VMwareCertified    2014-04-21 
    ata-pata-atiixp        0.4.6-4vmw.550.0.0.1331820          VMware  VMwareCertified    2014-04-21 
    .
    .
    .
    

15. Disable the lsi_mr3 native mode driver:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # esxcli system module set --enabled=false --module=lsi_mr3

16. Return the server to normal operating mode:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # vim-cmd hostsvc/maintenance_mode_exit

17. Reboot the host, and then reconnect to it using an SSH client.

    To reboot the host, you can issue the reboot command.

18. Issue the following command to verify that the Oracle Storage 12 Gb/s SAS PCIe RAID Internal HBA is using the megaraid-sas driver:

    [johnsmith@hostname ESXi55]$ ~ # esxcfg-scsidevs -a
    vmhba38 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba38 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller
    vmhba39 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba39 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller
    vmhba0 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba0 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller
    vmhba1 megaraid_sas link-n/a unknown.vmhba1 (0:3:0.0) LSI / Symbios Logic MegaRAID SAS Invader Controller
    vmhba40 ahci link-n/a sata.vmhba40 (0:0:31.2) Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller
    .
    .
    .