VMware ESXi 6.0 I/O driver information: certified 5.5 I/O drivers are compatible with vSphere 6.0

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article describes Input/Output (I/O) driver support with VMware ESXi 6.0 and related implications for vSphere 6.0 only features.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0

Resolution

ESXi 6.0 supports I/O drivers built and certified on ESXi 5.5 (ESXi 5.5-based) in addition to I/O drivers built and certified on ESXi 6.0 (ESXi 6.0-based). The VMware Compatibility Guide lists both ESXi 5.5-based and ESXi 6.0-based drivers as supported with ESXi 6.0.

Note: ESXi 5.5-based drivers lack support for new ESXi 6.0 only features.

New Features available only on ESXi 6.0-based I/O drivers

Certified features are listed in the Model Release Details page of the VMware Compatibility Guide for each driver version where applicable.

Here is the list of new features for I/O drivers in ESXi 6.0:

• DIF/DIX Type 1 for Storage Drivers
• DIF/DIX Type 3 for Storage Drivers
• DIF/DIX Type 1 and 3 for Storage Drivers
• Secondary LUNID (Enables VVols) for Storage Drivers
• UEFI boot for Storage Drivers
• IPv6 for iSCSI Drivers

Note: Always check the VMware Compatibility Guide to determine what features are supported by a given I/O driver and device.

Additional Information

VMware ESXi 6.0 I/O ドライバ情報、「認定された 5.5 I/O ドライバは vSphere 6.0 との互換性があります」
VMware ESXi 6.0 I/O 驱动程序信息：认证的 5.5 I/O 驱动程序与 vSphere 6.0 兼容