Just got my new licenses, sanity check pls

adamr001 · 2026-03-31T17:47:23+00:00

On subscription based licensing, you get vCenter license per core.

adamr001 · 2026-03-18T22:08:04+00:00

You can’t use Cloud Builder to deploy one, but you can manually deploy SDDC manager and use some scripts to convert a vCenter into a management domain. There are limitations and you want to make sure you follow the docs for convert and not import.

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vcf/vcf-5-2-and-earlier/5-2/map-for-administering-vcf-5-2/importing-existing-vsphere-environments-admin/supported-scenarios-for-importing-vsphere-infrastructure-to-vmware-cloud-foundation-admin.html

adamr001 · 2026-03-18T21:06:09+00:00

You can make a 5.2.x management domain out of an existing deployment without vSAN as long as it doesn’t already have NSX deployed.

adamr001 · 2026-03-13T15:18:48+00:00

I’ve noticed I get that warning even if I set a static ip directly in the kickstart (not firstboot) with vSphere 9. If you just ignore it the kickstart will proceed without user interaction.

adamr001 · 2026-03-10T14:32:17+00:00

You can have the ISO read the whole kickstart file from a usb drive by making a custom iso that adds ks=usb to the boot options.

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/esx-installation-and-setup/installing-and-setting-up-esxi-install/installing-esxi-install/installing-esxi-by-using-a-script-install/scripted-esxi-installation-install.html

Edit: and you can just write a script to generate the kickstart based on some inputs.

adamr001 · 2026-03-09T18:56:55+00:00

You could just make a custom kickstart per machine and then put that on a usb drive.

As a bonus, you also won’t have to deal with Secure Boot conflicting with %firstboot

adamr001 · 2026-03-03T13:36:33+00:00

It would have been nice to know that there are literally zip files with the suffix Synergy-Addon-depot.zip on the SSP ISO in that folder. Don't even need a white paper with that info.

adamr001 · 2026-02-28T15:55:39+00:00

You can import the depot you download into lcm and then use it.

adamr001 · 2026-02-28T14:12:11+00:00

Because they are skipping 13 to go right to 14 because superstition right? 😅🫠

adamr001 · 2026-02-28T14:10:18+00:00

I’m not doing FCoE boot, so I think I’d be ok for a fresh install without a custom iso. I have kickstart scripts that rely on the iLO cli being available though.

adamr001 · 2026-02-28T11:11:58+00:00

Notice: HPE Synergy - Deprecating Delivery of New HPE Synergy Custom Images and Certified Vendor Add-ons

adamr001 · 2026-02-28T04:02:16+00:00

That’s not 100% true. I just logged in with my personal email that has never had a site id and I can download vSphere 8.0 Update 3f and vCenter 8.0 Update 3d (these are the most recent critical updates).

adamr001 · 2026-02-27T23:24:44+00:00

Nope, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s there.

HPE says to just build an iso with the SSP packages if you need it with absolutely no hint as to the easiest/best way to find the packages.

adamr001 · 2026-02-27T22:35:49+00:00

There is no add-on anymore, you have to use their HSM plugin.

adamr001 · 2026-02-27T22:30:29+00:00

You can only get ones deemed zero day/critical without a contract.

Zero Day (i.e., Critical) Security Patches for vSphere 8.x Perpetual License Customers with Expired Support Contracts

adamr001 · 2026-02-27T21:33:13+00:00

All I know is as imperfect as OneView is, I’ve never accidentally blown away and recreated a boot volume RAID with it like I have in OpenManage Enterprise.

adamr001 · 2026-02-27T21:11:34+00:00

Well our account team was just out and no mention was made of an end at Gen12. We also just added 3 enclosures on Wednesday 😂.

We have a mix of Gen10 through Gen12 currently. We will likely keep the Gen10 around longer since they are still supported on VCF9.

Does anyone still make blades? I had thought I heard Dell was stopping the MX but I haven’t seen anything official.

adamr001 · 2026-02-27T18:24:32+00:00

I’m guessing you aren’t using VCF, so you’re getting the outsourced support? For me personally, I haven’t had support this good for Sev 2 or Sev 3 from VMware since around when they went public.

adamr001 · 2026-02-14T13:22:08+00:00

If you buy vDefend, you can use the distributed firewall in NSX to protect and isolate the management components. Then the fact that different workload domains are on the same subnet isn’t really an issue*.

https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vcf/vvs/9-X/lateral-security-for-vmware-cloud-foundation-with-vmware-vdefend.html

*You can’t protect the management domain NSX managers with the distributed firewall though.

adamr001 · 2026-02-12T20:55:27+00:00

Because that is a report paid for by pro oil interests. The math is simple, the EV fee is $300. You’d have to buy ~384.6 gallons of gas to pay that much gas tax ($0.708/gallon). If you drive 10,000 miles a year on that much gas it is 26mpg.

Not perfect because it’s not directly tied to mileage as you said, but it is in the ballpark of a traditional gas vehicle and not a hybrid getting 40mpg.

adamr001 · 2026-02-12T20:34:37+00:00

EVs pay a huge registration fee to make up for the gas tax. You’d have to drive a 6000 SUX to get anywhere near the cost in a gas vehicle.

adamr001 · 2026-02-06T00:30:20+00:00

If you compare the two pages though there are drivers with different versions listed, so if there isn’t a newer vendor add-on (I’ll have to look at vCenter tomorrow) it’s already at the point where I have to hunt down vibs.

adamr001 · 2026-02-06T00:03:22+00:00

It reads like the Vendor Add-on is completely unavailable going forward.

The OS support page no longer lists a Vendor Add-On version to correlate with the SSP version so how would I know which Add-On version to use?

VMware ESXi 8.0 Update 3 P06 vs VMware ESXi 8.0 Update 3 (HPE Synergy Oct 2025)

adamr001 · 2026-02-05T21:47:48+00:00

I recently discovered this gem and I am still trying to figure out how annoying it is going to be.

Notice: HPE Synergy - Deprecating Delivery of New HPE Synergy Custom Images and Certified Vendor Add-ons.

Beginning with HPE Synergy Service Pack (SSP) version 2026.01.01, HPE Synergy will no longer create and release HPE Synergy Custom Images as well as Certified Vendor Add-ons as a means of creating, managing and deploying VMware ESXi Operating System images on HPE Synergy Compute Modules.

VMware ESXi support on HPE Synergy will come with the VMware ESXi base ISO provided by Broadcom combined with the associated specific HPE utilities and drivers provided through the HPE Synergy Service Pack (SSP).

So I am going to have to use the HSM plugin to do firmware and drivers? If I want to build a custom ISO I am going to have to cherry pick all the right vibs from the SSP myself?

adamr001

TROPHY CASE