Running VMware vSphere 6.0 on HP Proliant MicroServer G7 (N54L)

22 Comments

1. Great Article. I am building a VMware home lab with HP MS G7 at the moment and I would like to enquire as to what NAS/ SAN setup (Make of HW, SW, Switches, etc) are you using with the HP Microserver G7 (N54L)?

   • Hi Edward,

     I can write this up in a post if you’d like? I’d been meaning to do it for a while, though will definitely do it if it’d be of help.

     Cheers,

     Simon

2. Apologies – one more Question: Where did you get the Labels/ stickers that are on the HP MS G7 Server? They look really cool!

   • No problem at all.

     I received this from the team at Servers Plus, here in the UK. http://www.serversplus.com/

     You could contact them to see if they’ve got any left, though it was a while ago admittedly.

     Good luck 🙂

3. Thank you for the feedback. RE the NAS/ SAN setup write up – would make a really useful post and I would be most grateful, as it is the one thing that I have found is missing from all of the HP N54L Microserver information on the web. I am sure that other lab builders might also benefit from the information that you would share on this.

   • Hi Edward,

     I’ll pull a post together for sometime next week. I’ll start off with a high-level overview post, and if readers would like, I can then go a little more deep-dive.

     Thanks,

     Simon

4. Hi Simon,

   Any update available on the Switch / SAN Setup for the HP Microserver G7 (N54L)?

5. Hi Simon,

   Any update yet on the Query of your VMWARE NAS setup & VMWARE Configurations of the HP N54L Mini Server?

   • Hi Edward,

     Thanks for getting in touch. Unfortunately not, though I really do have to get around to doing it. I’ve just finished a project for work, so I should start having a little more time in the evenings again now so will look at writing a post.

     Sorry for the wait,

     Simon

     • Hi Simon,

       Thanks for making contact again, Apologies for the pestering on this subject! 🙂 Looking forward to the Post.

6. I am wanting to use my aging Lenovo TS210 and N54L microserver to build a home lab for Atlantis USX. So need to spec 24GB or better still 32GB Ram is required. Anybody else doing this?

   ST2

7. Hi,
   i stumdled on your post, and am running into an error of installation of Esxi on a N36L (not the N54L yet)
   and my error is that i can’t be installed because the driver for the lancard is missing.

   so i wanted to ask you if u used a different version of type of the installation iso.
   or do i need to find a version 6.0.0, without update 2?

   i have already used
   1st: VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-2494585-HP-600.9.3.30.2-Jun2015
   2nd: VMware-VMvisor-Installer-6.0.0.update02-3620759.x86_64

   thnx in advance

   p.s. does the G7 really run 16gb?
   because i can only find the references that it can hold 8gb (total)

   • I’m having a similar problem with my N40L. I’m guessing the 54 has a slightly different LAN chipset.

     • Are You sure that it’s N54L? I have it too, I’ve checked several places but everywhere there is possible only to put 2x 4GB RAM. What RAMs You have installed?

       System Information
       Manufacturer: HP
       Product Name: ProLiant MicroServer
       Version:
       Serial Number: xxx
       UUID: xxx
       Wake-up Type: Power Switch
       SKU Number: 744900-421
       Family:

       • I’m running 6.5 on an N54L with 12GB (4+8)

8. Hi, I have tried lots of ESXi 6 builds, custom HPE builds and none of them will load. I keep getting the no network adapter error. The HPE build gave me the pink screen of death. I have broadcom gigabet network adapter in my HP box. Can you tell me what version of ESXi 6 you got working on yours?

9. Hi Simon! Thank you for this great article.

   I have a n54L with 8gb of ram. No raid controller installed and 2 x 2Tb hard disk drives installed. Is it possible to use software raid 0 of the embedded controller and install vmware esxi 6? if not, if i boot up esxi from a usb stick, i will be able to use my hard disks with software raid 0 as datastores?

   thank you in advance

10. Question:

    Why run ESXi from the internal usb? Why not just install it on your SSD or HDD? I’m curious.

11. Hi, any Idea if version 6.5 is supported as well?

    • Reply to myself: yes, it is 😉

      • No, it’s not supported but it works on my HPN40L.
        So far I did not manage to update from 6.5 to 6.7.
        There does a binary hack exist to pass by the “unsupported CPU” upgrade blocker but I did not manage to follow the instructions 🙂

12. Were instructions posted for installing vSphere\ESXi on HP Proliant MicroServer G7-series?

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