Versions of Active Directory supported in VMware ESXi

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides information on VMware ESXi interoperability with Active Directory versions based on the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain functional level, not on the Windows Server operating system on which Active Directory is running. Customer can upgrade their Active Directory environments and change their Active Directory functionality level without having to upgrade their vSphere environment.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.5
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0

Resolution

This table describes the supported Domain Functionality levels required for versions of VMware ESXi for user authentication with Active Directory to function. Please see the notes where applicable.

ESXi Version	Domain Functional Level
	Windows 2000 native	Windows Server 2003	Windows Server 2008	Windows Server 2008 R2	Windows Server 2012	Windows Server 2012 R2	Windows Server 2016
4.x	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No¹	No¹	No
5	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes²	No¹	No
5.1	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes³	No
5.5	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes⁴	No
6	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
6.5	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes⁵
6.7	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes⁶
7	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

 
Notes:

1. Due to the most recent revisions of ESXi having been released before the release of the Domain Functionality level at the time of this articles writing, the ESXi version is untested to run on the Active Directory Domain Functionality Level.
2. As of vSphere 5.0 Update 3, this Active Directory Domain Functionality Level is now supported.
3. As of vSphere 5.1 Update 3, this Active Directory Domain Functionality Level is now supported.
4. As of vSphere 5.5 Update 1, this Active Directory Domain Functionality Level is now supported.
5. As of ESXi650-201811002, this Active Directory Domain Functionality Level is now supported.
6. As of vSphere 6.7 Update 1, this Active Directory Domain Functionality Level is now supported.

Additional Information

For information related to vCenter Server, see :

• Versions of Active Directory supported in VMware vCenter Server
  
  
• Versions of Active Directory supported in vCenter Server