Intel 750 not showing delete support under ESXi?

[shopk]

Hi everyone, I've hit an unexpected issue with some new Intel 750's (1.2TB) and ESXi 6 (latest update). I have installed the latest driver as recommended (to improve the performance of the drives) and while they are working I have noticed that ESXi isn't attempting to reclaim any free space (and forcing it doesn't work). A check of the VAAI values of each drive showed the following:

VAAI Plugin Name:

ATS Status: unsupported

Clone Status: unsupported

Zero Status: unsupported

Delete Status: unsupported

While I expected ATS/Clone/Zero to be unsupported, I didn't expect to see Delete as unsupported. Using a standard SSD through an AHCI controller will show Delete as supported (as TRIM seems to get converted to DISCARD/UNMAP).

Has anyone else seen this? I'm concerned that as a result my performance is going to degrade over time as there will be a lack of proper unmapping of free space.

[jbenavides]

Hello shopkins,

We will need some additional information to check about the "Delete Status: Unsupported". Please let us know the following:

- Computer brand and model

- BIOS version- SSD model number- SSD firmware version- Driver version used

- Are you using an Add in card, or a 2.5 inch form factor SSD?

- What type of PCIe slot are you using? (PCIe generation and number of lanes)

[shopk]

Hi Jonathon,

Additional information below (I've put quite a bit). I should add that all four of the drives are working and are currently being used as datastores. The concern is that the UNMAP support doesn't appear to be recognised and that as a result there will be a performance degredation. Looking at the nvme driver on SourceForge it does appear to support UNMAP, hence my confusion around why shows Delete as unsupported.

- Supermicro X9DRW-7TPF+

- BIOS 3.2 (latest available)

- Intel 750 1.2TB AIC (PCI Gen-3 x4, not the 2.5" form-factor version)

- Unknown firmware version (would be what was shipped with the card, didnt see a firmware upgrade available a few days ago)

- VMW-ESX-5.5.0-intel-nvme-1.0e.1.1-2791094.zip (exact driver from ESXi below)

- PCIe slots are x8 but have been clocked down to x4 (they work in either mode)

> Module info

[root@esxi:~] vmkload_mod -s intel-nvme

vmkload_mod module information

input file: /usr/lib/vmware/vmkmod/intel-nvme

Version: 1.0e.1.1-1OEM.550.0.0.1391871

License: BSD

Required name-spaces:

com.vmware.vmkapi# v2_2_0_0

Parameters:

> Storage Path List (for one device, I have four)

[root@esxi:~] esxcli storage core path list

pscsi.vmhba4-pscsi.0:0-naa.65fdfe40353136333030305731xxxxx

UID: pscsi.vmhba4-pscsi.0:0-naa.65fdfe40353136333030305731xxxxx

Runtime Name: vmhba4:C0:T0:L0

Device: naa.65fdfe40353136333030305731xxxxx

Device Display Name: Local NVMe Disk (naa.65fdfe40353136333030305731xxxxx)

Adapter: vmhba4

Channel: 0

Target: 0

LUN: 0

Plugin: NMP

State: active

Transport: parallel

Adapter Identifier: pscsi.vmhba4

Target Identifier: pscsi.0:0

Adapter Transport Details: Unavailable or path is unclaimed

Target Transport Details: Unavailable or path is unclaimed

Maximum IO Size: 131072

> Device VAAI Status

[root@esxi:~] esxcli storage core device vaai status get -d naa.65fdfe40353136333030305731xxxxxx

naa.65fdfe40353136333030305731xxxxxx

VAAI Plugin Name:

ATS Status: unsupported

Clone Status: unsupported

Zero Status: unsupported

Delete Status: unsupported

> Storage Adapter List

[root@esxi:~] esxcli storage core adapter list

HBA Name Driver Link State UID Capabilities Description

-------- ------------ ---------- -------------- ------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

vmhba0 megaraid_sas link-n/a unknown.vmhba0 (0000:0b:00.0) LSI / Symbios Logic MegaRAID SAS Fusion Controller

vmhba2 rste link-n/a pscsi.vmhba2 (0000:02:00.0) Intel Corporation Patsburg 4-Port SATA/SAS Storage Control Unit

vmhba3 intel-nvme link-n/a pscsi.vmhba3 (0000:81:00.0) Intel Corporation NVM-Express PCIe SSD

vmhba4 intel-nvme link-n/a pscsi.vmhba4 (0000:03:00.0) Intel Corporation NVM-Express PCIe SSD

vmhba5 intel-nvme link-n/a pscsi.vmhba5 (0000:04:00.0) Intel Corporation NVM-Express PCIe SSD

vmhba6 intel-nvme link-n/a pscsi.vmhba6 (0000:82:00.0) Intel Corporation NVM-Express PCIe SSD

vmhba32 usb-storage link-n/a usb.vmhba32 () USB

[shopk]

On the subject of firmware, can someone comment on what the approach is for upgrading the firmware on systems that aren't running Windows... According to http://www.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/CS-035687.htm Intel® High Performance Solid-State Drive — Firmware Versions for Intel® Solid State Drives the firmware update tool doesn't support the 750's, which makes things a little tricky.

[shopk]

Quick update, firmware has been updated on all 4 drives however ESXi still shows the Delete capability as unsupported.

Before

[root@localhost ~]# isdct show -intelssd

- IntelSSD CVCQ5163000Wxxxxxx -

DeviceStatus: Healthy

Firmware: 8EV10135

FirmwareUpdateAvailable: Firmware=8EV10171 Bootloader=8B1B0131

ModelNumber: INTEL SSDPEDMW012T4

ProductFamily: Intel SSD 750 Series

SerialNumber: CVCQ5163000Wxxxxxx

Index: 0

DevicePath: /dev/nvme0n1

Bootloader: 8B1B012E

After

[root@localhost ~]# isdct show -intelssd

- IntelSSD CVCQ5163000Wxxxxxx -

DeviceStatus: Healthy

Firmware: 8EV10171

FirmwareUpdateAvailable: The selected Intel SSD contains current firmware as of this tool release.

ModelNumber: INTEL SSDPEDMW012T4

ProductFamily: Intel SSD 750 Series

SerialNumber: CVCQ5163000Wxxxxxx

Index: 0

DevicePath: /dev/nvme0n1

Bootloader: 8B1B0131