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xzyfer
Asked: 2011-01-30 15:17:47 +0800 CST

Running VMWare ESXi on Apple Xserve

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So we're running VMWare Server running on Windows Server 2008 which we administer via the web interface. However it turns out the machine we're running it on has serious hardware limitations, most importantly it's restricted to 4gb of ram.

We've since inherited a much more powerful server. The problem being the new server is an Apple (intel based) server running, I believe, Snow Leopard Server.

My question is, can I run VMWare ESXi on Xserve, or an equivalent?

I'm done some hardcore Googling and the best that I can find is that it's not supported, but it might work, but there are no guarantees (this has been stated many times on the VMWare forums by the VMWare support staff). But all these search results are years old, so I can't find any recent answers regarding this.

I'm aware I can run each VM in an instance of Fusion, but this is undesirable and there is now remote web based administration interface as far as I know.

Has anyone accomplished this?

virtualization vmware-server xserve

5 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    The VMWare you have running on Windows 2008 is probably the VMWare Server 1.0 or 2.0 host-based product. ESXi runs directly on the server hardware without a host operating system.

    As for the Apple Xserve, attempting to run ESXi may not be worth it. A quick check on Google seems to indicate that it is not possible.

    However, Parallels has a bare-metal hypervisor that runs on the Xserve hardware.
    http://www.parallels.com/products/server/mac/audience/it-xserves-linux/

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  2. I don't own a Xserve so my answer is not definitive but if you do get it to run ESXi are you sure that you want to run an unsupported/possibly not complete support. Is worth saving that money now only to have to spend it later if something breaks? If it is than I would try but you really have to look at cost savings now vs the risk you run into an issue later.

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  3. if you were to have an intel based xserve and run a clean install of windows server 2008 on it than you would be able to run ESXi natively where as if you were to use VMware Fusion you would be running a virtual machine and losing almost any power advantage of the new server.

    I just finished building an Xsan for our Promotions department that integrates into 2 Isilon's via a StorNext Server for News and a VMFS server for Production.

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  4. There seems to be some support for running VMware Fusion on OS X Server.

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  5. Is possible buy if you got stuck when installing ESXi 6.x on:

    Relocating modules and starting up the kernel

    You need reset NVRAM like on this video at the end:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbWp2FA5OBM

    Entering Firmware Boot Commands from the XServe's Front Panel

    Follow these steps to initiate a command from the front panel. 

    With the power button off, hold in the system identifier button while you press the on/standby button
Continue holding the system identifier button until the top row of blue lights blinks sequentially.
Release the system identifier button. The rightmost light in the bottom row turns on. Press the system identification button to light

    the next light in the bottom row, moving from right to left. Press the button again to change lights.

    Light 6: Restore the systems default setting (reset NVRAM)

Release the button

    http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~richard/XServe.html

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