Reference Guide

b Enter your user name and password.

c Navigate to the troubleshooting options.

d Enable the ESXi shell.

e Enable SSH.

4 Install the NVMe PCIe SSD driver on the ESXi host.

a Navigate to the datastore volume or le directory that contains the NVMe PCIe SSD driver, and run the following command:

esxcli software vib install /<complete_path_to_offline_driver>.

b Reboot the ESXi host.

5 Ensure that the driver has been correctly installed by running the following command: esxcli software vib list | grep

nvme.

6 Using vSphere, place the ESXi host in maintenance mode and reboot the host.

7 Once the host reboots and is running, take the host out of maintenance mode.

Booting from NVMe PCIe SSD

Dell supports installation to Express Flash NVMe PCIe SSDs on select PowerEdge platforms that have been congured for UEFI BIOS boot

mode. To determine whether or not NVMe PCIe SSDs may be used as a boot device on your system, see the system-specic Owner’s

Manual at Dell.com/support/manuals. OS installation to the NVMe PCIe SSD is only supported on the following Operating Systems:

• Windows Server 2012 R2 or later

• RHEL 7.0 or later

• SLES 12 or later

Installing Windows Server 2012 R2 on NVMe PCIe SSD

1 Ensure that the system BIOS is in UEFI boot mode.

2 Insert and boot to the installation media and launch the installation wizard.

3 Follow the instructions until you are asked where you want to install Windows Server 2012 R2, and then select the load driver option.

4 When the system prompts you, insert the driver media, or browse to the location at which the driver media data is stored.

5 Select the driver le, and then select the Dell Express Flash controller.

6 Click Next, and then complete the installation.

NOTE

: The Windows Server 2016 does not require an updated driver to support booting from NVMe PCIe SSD.

Installing RHEL 7.0 or later on the NVMe PCIe SSD

1 Extract and create the driver disk image on separate media such as a USB device, and install the media on the system.

2 Ensure that the system BIOS is in UEFI boot mode.

3 Insert and boot to the installation media and launch the installation wizard.

4 From the grub menu, append the dd parameter to the end of the kernel command line to prompt for a driver disk image during the OS

installation process.

5 Follow the installation wizard to the conclusion of the installation process.

Installing SLES 12 or later on the NVMe PCIe SSD

1 Extract and create the driver disk image on separate media such as a USB device, and install the media on the system.

2 Ensure that the system BIOS is in UEFI boot mode.

Driver installation