question regarding HPE SmartCache and Vmvware / speed

[Server-Admin-44]

Hello,

sorry, we have no experience with HPE SmartCache.

A new vmware esxi 6.0 host ML350 G9  will have severall windows server 2012 VMs.

It will have 14x 600 GB 15k Drives (with SAS expander and P440ar/2GB onboard) and for more Speed a HPE SmartCache Licence and two 200GB 12G SAS Endurance Enterprise Drives.

1. Is it supported to use HPE SmartCache  in connection with vmware?
2. Do you think this Idea make sense?
3. As far as I know, only one SSD would be enough...
4. Can HPE SmartCache handle also two SSD Drives?
5. Which RAID do you recommend for the 14x600 Drives?
   
   

Windows VMs needed:   Application, Windows SQL, 1x Window Terminalserver,  Domaincontroller.

Thx, best regards

Part-Numbers:

14

759212-B21

HPE 600GB 12G SAS 15K rpm SFF (2.5-inch) SC Enterprise 3yr Warranty Hard Drive

D7S27AAE

HPE SmartCache No Media 24x7 Technical Support Flexible License

779164-B21

HPE 200GB 12G SAS ME 2,5in EM SC H2 SSD

[parnassus]

Is really a good idea to use Rotational disk(s) (instead of SSD) as cache device(s)?

I don't think so (it's a matter of using very fast storage devices that have very low access latency for data caching)...read the HPE SmartCache QuickSpecs:

https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/c04123148.pdf

and HPE SmartCache Technical Whitepaper:

https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetDocument.aspx?docname=4AA5-1706ENW&cc=us&lc=en

They should give you answers for most, if not all, of your questions above.

As for the OS support...IMHO the HPE SmartCache technology and its implementation is rather independent by the overlaying OS (eventually, HPE SmartCache will require some OS level - user level - management tools for (re)configuration apart from the SmartArray administration features available at System BIOS level...but I don't believe those management tools are really mandatory for HPE SmartCache to work out-of-the-box).