6.0

Connecting a USB passthrough device to a virtual machine that runs on the ESXi host to which the device is
physically attached requires an arbitrator, a controller, and a physical USB device or device hub.
USB Arbitrator
Manages connection requests and routes USB device traffic. The arbitrator is
installed and enabled by default on ESXi hosts. It scans the host for USB
devices and manages device connection among virtual machines that reside
on the host. It routes device traffic to the correct virtual machine instance for
delivery to the guest operating system. The arbitrator monitors the USB
device and prevents other virtual machines from using it until you release it
from the virtual machine it is connected to.
USB Controller
The USB hardware chip that provides USB function to the USB ports that it
manages. The virtual USB Controller is the software virtualization of the USB
host controller function in the virtual machine.
USB controller hardware and modules that support USB 3.0, 2.0, and USB 1.1
devices must exist on the host. Eight virtual USB controllers are available to
each virtual machine. A controller must be present before you can add USB
devices to the virtual computer.
The USB arbitrator can monitor a maximum of 15 USB controllers. Devices
connected to controllers numbered 16 or greater are not available to the
virtual machine.
USB Devices
You can add up to 20 USB devices to a virtual machine. This is the maximum
number of devices supported for simultaneous connection to one virtual
machine. The maximum number of USB devices supported on a single ESXi
host for simultaneous connection to one or more virtual machines is also 20.
For a list of supported USB devices, see the VMware knowledge base article
at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021345. You can add USB 3.0 devices to Mac
OSX guest operating system for VMware Fusion.
Add a USB Controller to a Virtual Machine in the vSphere Client
USB controllers are available to add to virtual machines to support USB passthrough from an ESXi host or
client computer to the virtual machine.
You can add one virtual xHCI controller, one virtual EHCI controller, and one virtual UHCI controller per
virtual machine. With Hardware Version 11, the supported number of root hub ports per xHCI controller is
eight (four logical USB 3.0 ports and four logical USB 2.0 ports).
The conditions for adding a controller vary, depending on the device version, the type of passthrough (host
or client computer), and the guest operating system.
Table 15‑4. USB Controller Support
Controller type
Supported USB Device
Version
Supported for Passthrough
from ESXi Host to VM
Supported for Passthrough from
Client Computer to VM
EHCI+UHCI 2.0 and 1.1 Yes Yes
xHCI 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 Yes (USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1
devices only)
Yes (Linux, Windows 8 and later, and
Windows Server 2012 and later
guests)
NOTE Drivers are not available for the xHCI controller on Windows guest operating systems.
For Mac OS X systems, the EHCI+UHCI controller is enabled by default and is required for USB mouse and
keyboard access.
vSphere Administration with the vSphere Client
174 VMware, Inc.