VMWare ESX 3.x not able to detect Intel Gigabit adapters

Few days back, I received a customer's complaint about the VMWare ESX 3.X not able to detect the brand new Intel Network adapter. After check through the setup/configuration, I confirm there something to do with the product compatibility between this two famous company. This issue leave me no choice, but had to research by my own in order to appease this customer from bugging me through phone or email.

I'm lucky enough to get the below information within 15 mins, and I have to not only thank god, but need to thank Google - the powerful search engine as well.

From VMWare Knowledge-base, stated that the below Intel Adapter need to load the specify IGB driver, in order to get detected.

Networking devices based on the Intel® 82575 Gigabit Ethernet Controller:

• Intel® 82575EB Gigabit Network Connection
• Intel® 82575EB Gigabit Backplane Connection
• Intel® Gigabit VT Quad Port Server Adapter

Networking devices based on the Intel® 82576 Gigabit Ethernet Controller:

• Intel® 82576 Gigabit Network Connection
• Intel® Gigabit ET Dual Port Server Adapter
• Intel® Gigabit EF Dual Port Server Adapter

Solution from VMWare:

Enable NetQueue in VMkernel using VMware Infrastructure Client:

1. Choose Configuration > Advanced Settings > VMkernel.
   
2. Select VMkernel.Boot.netNetqueueEnabled.
   

Enable the igb module in the service console of the ESX host:

# esxcfg-module -e igb

Set the required load option for igb to turn on VMDq:

The option IntMode=3 must exist to indicate loading in VMDq mode. A value of 3 for the IntMode parameter specifies using MSI-X and automatically sets the number of receive queues to the maximum supported (devices based on the 82575 Controller enable 4 receive queues per port; devices based on the 82576 Controller enable 8 receive queues per port). The number of receive queues used by the igb driver in VMDq mode cannot be changed.

For a single port, use the command:

# esxcfg-module -s "IntMode=3" igb

For two or more ports, use a comma-separated list of values as shown in the following example (the parameter is applied to the igb-supported interfaces in the order they are enumerated on the PCI bus):

# esxcfg-module -s "IntMode=3,3, ... 3" igb

Reboot the ESX host system.

Note: If you are using jumbo frames, you also need to change the values for netPktHeapMinSize to 32 and netPktHeapMaxSize to 128.

For more information:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1009010

one of my favorite shots during wedding day..

Enquiry or Complaint?

Many Singapore customer tend to ask many technical question after they received the server/storage. For me, I don't think that is kind of enquiry, but I feel they're just a living thing that can't stop complaining.

Simple question for a LCD Monitor problem, they'll asking with a friendly tone, but with a lot of 'thorns' hide within the sentences.

"..I found the LCD is shaky and it happened every 8-10sec. Is that the hardware issue? Oh ya, can I sue Dexx as it cause my eye very uncomfortable.. "

I just answered as below:

"..Allow me to help you on the LCD monitor issue, and that's your choice whether you want to sue Dexx or not..", and blar blar blar....

I thought my answer can divert customer attention, and satisfy as I didn't reject him for the replacement. And recently, I'm always surprised by something that I totally can't think of;

"..Of course you must arrange for the replacement, because i'm pay for that! But do you think after the LCD monitor replacement my eye will just be fine in a second?? "

I nearly want to shout at this brainless, pity living thing like Adam Lambert's hit song :

"..Whatdoya want from me!!!! "

Of course, an educated and professional person like me wouldn't do this to customer, but frank to say I did scold him from my heart. -.-"

At last, I suggest him to call Customer Care department for those 'sue' request, and I just feel sick continue talk to this civilized people but only with a piece of Certificate, and that's it. I'm doubt whether in his skull did carry something that allow him to think like a human or not!!

Believe me or not, this is definitely not a kind of fictitious, but it does exist. Cheers for Singaporean!

another 'old' shot done by my 'old' Nikon D60 with Nikkor 55-200mm f3.5 - 5.6

*P/S: the main purpose I wrote this is to release/express my unbalance feeling toward my daily job only; there is nothing more than this

希望不顺利的一切可以换来一切顺利

上天总是这样子，为了让你珍惜，会像《西游记》里般，安排了999难让一个人通过...又会有多少人 能够通过这所谓的“999难”？那一些欲要过关斩将，不畏辛苦地面对这些‘难’的人，又有谁会相信他们呢？

可能时代不同了，用口说出来的‘诺言’，已经没有价值了；这也是为什么现在的法律都要有白纸黑字的纪录，免得其中一方面食言了。

千禧年后，‘诺言’、‘信用’的价值又贬值了。当了婚礼摄影师（Wedding Photographer）后，发现十之八九的接新娘的仪式当中，都会有姐妹团要求新郎签[爱的宣言]的部分，里边的内容都是一些要男方承诺一些在婚后要好好对待新娘的条规...

在那时，感觉超甜蜜，过后又想：

“即使有这些白纸黑字，那又怎样？因为离婚率也没有显然的下降！”

那这是怎么办好呢？

至今，我也不晓得该怎么办，只是觉得只要对得起自己的良心，就行了！因为我改变不了他人的想法，就唯有适应自己，做自己该做的事，全力以赴，无论到最后结果是什么，自己也绝对不会后悔！

确定了，自己什么也做不了，就唯有用时间来证明了...

如果人生每条必经之路都有盏明灯那该多好啊！

Power Consumption for Dell PowerConnect 6224P

Being a Server/Storage support for three years, I can't believe the below enquiry was first time delivered to my ear:

"..we already confirmed the order for Dell PowerConnect 6224P, and it should arrive tomorrow. Before that, we would like to know the power consumption for this switch, so that we can plan for the power input source..."

It sounds nothing wrong, but the documentation is killing me again because it just leave me with this lines:

"The 6200 series switches have one internal power supply which requires standard AC"

Surprisingly, this Singaporean doesn't know (or maybe pretend do not know) what is standard AC - Alternating Current for their own country. After research for almost one hour, I managed to get help from Google about the whole complete list of Singapore Standards -

SS 307 : 1996 -> Applies to portable cable reels for alternating current (a.c.) only, having a rated voltage not exceeding 250V, rated current not exceeding 13A and provided with a non-detachable flexible cable or cord, intended for domestic and similar purposes, either indoors or outdoors. Does not apply to cable reeling devices incorporated in appliances.

Luckily this typical Singaporean was satisfied with the provided information.

The simplest question always will become the most difficult one to answer.

one of my favorite sunrise taken from Penang Jetty...Guess what, this is also taken with my D60! :-)

at least 30 times "Thank you" per day

When my mind get stuck during office hour, I always look at the date/time from my laptop or the IP Phone right in front of me. Maybe, unconsciously I just want the time to move faster, so that I can stay out of the mess...

Time flies, I just can't believe I've been described as 'Technical Support Specialist' for three years plus. I always ask myself :

"..are you tired to serve customer through the phone? and just let customer scold you just they because want to? "

Time after time, I'm getting tired to budge myself suite the routine job, or 'motivate' myself look towards the $$ but not the job. What to do? I really no idea what to do, but seek for entertainment from the job.

Entertainment? Yes, this is exactly what I mean.

Today, a Singapore customer ask me:

"..I am not using your Server Rack, but I want to buy a rack's keyboard from your site. However, I have limited space, and the desire size is not more than 360mm x135mm..."

I'm just speechless for around 3 seconds, and inform customer that our rack's keyboard isn't design for other brands, and I advice him not to buy from us to avoid incompatible issue. The customer just replied me as such:

"..Yup, I know it might not compatible, but I just satisfy with the design, and I would like to try my luck to get the desire one from your end...."

I have no choice but need to get the required info for him.

*15mins later*

I can't get any info from any online resources, even our own documentation are just ruthless to give me nothing. In this helpless period, something just come out from my mind like the Kit-Kat Chocolate advertisement. *tink*

Solution:

I run to the testing lab to measure the keyboard with the plastic ruler, then copy down the measurement on a piece of paper. *sweat*

This portraits was taken with my Nikon D60 two years ago...ain't that bad huh. ^_^

毫无准备 = 浪费时间

无论是在商场，或是在大道收费站，我们都可以遇到很多‘毫无准备’可恨的人。为什么这么说呢？

在大道收费站，如果你是 Touch N' Go 的用户，那还好；不然的话，你肯定会遇到我最憎恨的情况：

到了收费站，才左挖右摸衣服或是裤子的口袋，正在确定钱包到底放在那里！

说真的，每次给现金的柜台需要排那么久，除了我们异族同胞在柜台那‘神速’的工作态度，其次，就是托那一些临渴掘井人的福了。有些更可恨，怎么都不要人找他零钱，死都要让后面的人等上几分钟，在车里这边找找，那边问问是否有刚好的零钱给收费柜台！

现在科技那么发达了，能够驾车到处去的人，十有八九家里都可以上网。那就麻烦各位在出发南北大道之前，先查看大约所需的费用是多少，然后可以预先将整数放好在一个信封或是更好的地方，一到收费柜台，就可以直接递给他/她，那就不会阻到地球转咯！

以下的连接可以查询你总共所需的费用，只要点击 [Toll Fare Calculator]，就会出现一个Pop-up Menu，输入你的出发点和目的地，所需的费用就可以一目了然：

http://www.plus.com.my/

我不只是坐在喝酒，同时我也很在意身边的一些景色...有得选的话，我比较喜欢Kilkenny多过Carlsberg 和 Tiger...

Photography or Graphic Design?

刚从相机店买了我人生第一架DSLR开始，我摄影的原则就出现了：

“...我要拍很多好照片，而不是设计很多照片...”

直到有机会带着相机出来闯江湖了，也带着这样的原则...谁知，我‘撞墙’了！原来，不是很多客户都真正的知道什么是‘摄影’；一半以上的人都给那些经过设计的照片‘吸引’了，‘好照片’的定义也因此而改变了。

一次，一个朋友问我：

“..为什么你拍的照片角度不错，但就是没有经过设计，看上去比别人输了一节..”

我问了一句：

“...是不是没有经过设计，就不算美呢？..”

他回答我：

“...不是不美，而是现在的市场的走势，都是一些有设计的照片。如果没有的话，就好像脱节了...”

因为这句话，我想了好久，甚至一次完全失去了摄影的欲望...

经过了一段很长的时间，我想通了！

我们活在这世界上， 都不可能是环境来跟着我们的原则，而是我们必须跟着环境的变化来改变自己。既然是这样的话，那好照片（即是那些没有经过设计的照片）就留给自己看；然后就顺众要求的在照片加以设计后才贴出来!

猜猜看，那一张是没有经过Edit的照片。