RAID Controller models beginning with the letter S are software RAID controllers. For example:
Hardware RAID controllers begin with the letter H. For example:
The previous generation of PERC SAS/SATA controllers, such as the PERC5i and PERC6i, are supported.
For a complete list of controllers that have been certified for use with ESX/ESXi by Dell, see the VMware Compatibility Guide.
For more information on the supported operating systems for the Software RAID controller cards provided by Dell, see the Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller (PERC) S100, PERCS300 User's Guide.
Note: The preceding link was correct as of April 3, 2014. If you find the link is broken, please provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.
Contact Dell for a supported solution for your ESX/ESXi deployment.