Running ESXi on a Cisco SRE 910 K9

Date: 2019-04-21
Author: Simon Jackson

Backstory

I inherited a Cisco ISR Router and didn't really have any plans for it.

A friend of mine convinced me to make it my home router, and play about with the features on there.
I thought, why not?

I bought a couple of Cisco 3750x Switches to go with it, and planned on a future VMware LAB, of physical serves. Maybe even run a vCenter Server Embedded appliance on my router, and use DPM to power my lab down when it's not required... that'd be neat.

I have already blogged on:

configuration and installation of ESM and ISM in part 1, here
configuration and installation of the SRE in part 2, here.

Now we have ESXi v5.1 installed on the SRE... lets evaluate the update and or upgrade process...

Evaluate the upgrade options

We need to ensure a clear and concise, supported (maybe not) approach. Why? Well the ESXi Kernel won't necessarily still contain the CPU chipset drivers embedded into the kernel. So we need an upgrade approach that retains chipset drivers. Try installing ESXi v7.0 on a current ESXi v4.x host. Chances are the kernel won't boot. Even if you tackled all the hardware drivers for NICs, and HBAs set. It simply won't boot. There are ways around this... but you can only take it so far.

Let's check the CPU...

This data sheet, claims an Intel Core2 Duo, 1.86GHz. This does NOT specify the model number. Fortunately, the ESXi hypervisor shows me the spec (on the right). Intel L9400 model.

vSphere Client shows the CPU information

I could not find an L96400 CPU on ark.intel.com. I suspected this is was a non-public relase of a laptop variant of the T9600 CPU, with lower power draw, and stepped-down bus-rate' on another model. So is earched for "9600" instead, I found the Penryn model T9600 - confirming my suspicion.
Searching on the VMware Compatibility Matrix for Software release=ESXi 6.7, Partner Name=Cisco, and Compatible Sets=Inten Penryn Generation. Unfortunately thats a no...

So with that in mind.. lets see how far we can push this...

Update ESXi v5.1U1 to v5.5 (update 20151201, build 3248547)

Inject the Cisco v5.5.3.5 Bundle of drivers

What custom softwre profile is available in the zip downloaded from my.vmware.com..

(ROUND 1) Install v5.5 Cisco packaged installation bundle: conflict

So clearly the AHCI image v5.1 is in the way... lets strip it out..

(ROUND 2) Install v5.5 packaged installation bundle: success

Update ESXi v5.5 to v6.0 (update 20181109, build 10719132)

Querying and updating all in one batch of commands

Update ESXi v6.0 to v6.5U3 (update 20190702, build 13932383)

Install v6.5 Cisco packaged installation bundle:

Update ESXi v6.5U3 to v6.7u3(update 20190702, build 13932383)

I had no success with v6.7 (8169922), v6.7U1 (10302608) and v6.7U2 (13006603) - but going straight to v6.7U3 seems to work just fine.

This is where i had to stop. With varying degrees of success going forward.

Hope this helps someone!