VMware 3.5 Update 2

VMware patch available for the product license to expire on 12 august 2008

VMware has released a patch for VMware ESX 3.5 and VMware ESX 3.5i.

1.Read the following Knowledge Base articles first:

Fix of virtual machine power on failure issue, refer to KB 1006716

For VI 3.5, refer to KB 1006721 for deployment consideration and instruction

For VI3.5i, refer to KB 1006670 for deployment consideration and instruction

2. Download and apply the patch according to the product(s) you have:

VMware ESXi 3.5 Update 2 Patch | VMware ESX 3.5 Update 2 Patch

Enhanced VMotion Compatibility EVC

In VMware ESX 3.5 Update 2 Enhanced VMotion Compatibility (EVC) is introduced.. EVC makes it possible to VMotion between different CPU generations.

Processors included in the new enhanced VMotion compatibility for AMD are:

  • First-Generation AMD Opteron ™ Rev. E
  • AMD Second-Generation AMD Opteron
  • Third-Generation AMD Opteron as well as future AMD Opteron™ processors.

Intel Processors that are VMotion compatiblity:

  • Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 7300
  • Quad core Intel Xeon processor 5100/5200/5300/5400 series, based on the Intel® Core™ microarchitecture
  • Future Xeon processors based on Enhanced Intel® Core™ Microarchitecture.

VMotion between Intel and AMD processors is still NOT possible. Maybe in VMware ESX 4.

More information can be found in the "VMware VMotion and CPU Compatibility"guide found here.

ESX 3.5 Update 2 and ESXi 3.5 Update 2 issue with product license to expire

 You got the following error when powering on a VM:

Unable to Power On virtual machine with “A General System error occurred: Internal error”

An issue has been uncovered with ESX 3.5 Update 2 and ESXi 3.5 Update 2 that causes the product license to expire on August 12. VMware is alerting customers and partners of this issue. VMware regrets the inconvenience caused to customers. Updated product bits with correct licensing will be made available for download as soon as possible.

 

The work-around: turn off NTP (if you’re using it), and then manually set the date of all ESX 3.5u2 hosts back to 10th of August. This can be done either through the VI Client (Host -> Configuration -> Time Configuration) or by typing date -s “08/10/2008” at the Service Console command line on the ESX hosts.

 

This seems to affect initial VM power-on (including from suspended state) and VMotion.

On the VMTN forum there is a thread post about this problem, check it here

Update:

VMware has created a KB article:

Unable to Power On virtual machine with “A General System error occurred: Internal error”

 http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/dynamickc.do?externalId=1006716&sliceId=1&command=show&forward=nonthreadedKC&kcId=1006716