vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Upgrading Older VMware Servers
- server-parts.eu server-parts.eu
- Jul 25
- 5 min read
Support for VMware vSphere 7.x ends on October 2, 2025, which means no more security patches or official fixes. Many users are now considering the move to vSphere 8—but hardware compatibility is a major concern, as its stricter requirements mean some hardware won’t be supported.
VMware vSphere 8 Compatible Servers
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Before upgrading, verify that your existing servers, processors, and peripherals meet vSphere 8’s requirements. VMware provides an online Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) where you can check if your server model, CPUs, storage, and network devices are officially supported.
vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: What You Need to Check Before Upgrading
vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Unsupported CPUs
vSphere 8 does not support processors older than Intel Skylake or AMD EPYC (Naples). VMware has dropped support for a large number of legacy CPU models, including many older Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron series.
If your ESXi host’s CPU is from a generation before Skylake (e.g., Intel Haswell or Broadwell), the vSphere 8 installer will refuse to run on that hardware.
In short, only relatively modern 64-bit CPUs with NX/XD (No-eXecute) enabled in BIOS are supported. ESXi 8.0 requires:
A minimum of 2 cores
NX (No-eXecute) / XD (eXecute Disable) enabled in BIOS
vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Memory and Boot Devices
Make sure your server meets the memory and boot storage requirements for vSphere 8:
Minimum RAM: 8 GB (12 GB or more recommended)
Boot Device: At least 32 GB of persistent storage (SSD, HDD, or NVMe)
Earlier versions could run with as little as 4 GB of RAM, but vSphere 8 requires more resources due to increased functionality and features.
If you’re still using small USB sticks or SD cards (e.g. 4–8 GB) to boot ESXi, you’ll need to replace them. For ESXi 8.0, you must provide a local disk or flash module with at least 32 GB, though larger disks are recommended to accommodate logs and system partitions.
vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Storage Controllers and Network Adapters
vSphere 8 may drop support for older storage and network controllers that lack modern drivers.
Since VMware removed the legacy VMKlinux driver stack in vSphere 7, devices without native drivers will not work with vSphere 7.0 or newer.
In practice, this means some:
Old RAID controllers
HBA adapters
NICs (Network Interface Cards)
...used in vSphere 6.x may not be recognized by vSphere 8 if the hardware vendor hasn't released updated drivers. For example, first-generation 16Gb Fibre Channel HBA cards are not supported under vSphere 8.
Check every device — SAS/SATA controllers, network cards, etc. — against the official VMware Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). If a critical component isn’t supported, you may need to replace it or stick with an older version until your hardware is refreshed.
vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Server Models and OEM Support
Even if all individual components appear compatible, it’s critical to verify whether your server model itself is officially supported for vSphere 8.
Vendors like Dell and HPE certify specific server generations for each vSphere release on the VMware HCL.
For example:
Certain Gen8 servers are not listed as supported for vSphere 8.
A Dell PowerEdge R730 (13th Gen) is not officially certified, though it might run ESXi 8 unofficially.
⚠️ Running ESXi 8 on unsupported hardware is risky — it may work, but you won’t receive vendor support if anything goes wrong. If your servers are too old, plan for a hardware refresh or replacement as part of your vSphere 8 upgrade strategy.
vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Preparing for the Upgrade
Upgrading to vSphere 8 requires some planning to avoid surprises. Here are key preparation steps to ensure compatibility:
Inventory Your Hardware: Document the CPUs, memory, storage, and adapters in each host. Compare these against vSphere 8 requirements and the VMware HCL. Pay special attention to CPU models (ensure they are Skylake/EPYC or newer) and to any device that might lack a driver in 8.0 (older NICs, RAID controllers, etc.). VMware’s Update Planner tool (in vCenter) or VMware Skyline can help flag compatibility issues in your environment.
Update Firmware/Drivers: Before upgrading, bring your hardware up to date. Install the latest BIOS/UEFI firmware and device firmware from your server vendor. Also update any vendor-specific ESXi drivers or management agents. Outdated firmware or custom drivers can cause stability problems (even PSODs – Purple Screen of Death) after the upgrade. Ensuring firmware is current helps vSphere 8 recognize devices properly and operate reliably.
Plan the Upgrade Path: vSphere 8 has specific upgrade path requirements. You can upgrade directly to ESXi 8.0 from vSphere 7.0 (update 2 or later). If your infrastructure is on vSphere 6.7 or older, you must upgrade to 7.0 first before moving to 8.0. Also, remember to upgrade vCenter Server to 8.0 before ESXi hosts – vCenter 7 cannot manage ESXi 8 hosts. Plan for any interim upgrades and the necessary downtime. It’s wise to upgrade in a lab or test cluster first to validate hardware compatibility and performance before touching production systems.
Backup and Rollback Plans: Before making changes, back up your vCenter Server and note your ESXi host configurations. While not a “compatibility” step per se, having backups and a rollback plan is essential. If a host fails to boot vSphere 8 due to an unknown incompatibility, you’ll want the option to revert to the previous ESXi version or configuration quickly.
VMware vSphere 8 Compatible Servers
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vSphere 8 Hardware Compatibility: Planning Your vSphere 8 Upgrade
For users on older hardware, the path to vSphere 8 might involve a mix of software and hardware upgrades. Here’s how to approach it:
Evaluate and Budget for Hardware Refresh (if needed): After checking the HCL, you may find some of your servers or components need replacement. Plan for investing in supported hardware where necessary. For example, if your hosts use CPUs older than Skylake or rely on an outdated storage controller, you might schedule an upgrade to newer servers or at least swap in supported network/storage cards before moving to vSphere 8.
Test Compatibility in a Lab: It’s always wise to test the upgrade on a non-production system. If possible, set up a lab machine with similar hardware to your older servers and attempt to install ESXi 8.0. This can reveal any show-stopping incompatibilities (e.g. a NIC that doesn’t appear in 8.0). It’s better to discover issues in a lab than during a production upgrade.
Perform a Phased Upgrade: Don’t upgrade everything at once. Start with your vCenter Server, then one or two ESXi hosts (perhaps in a smaller cluster or maintenance mode). Verify that your VMs run fine on the new version and that all devices function. vSphere 8 can coexist with vSphere 7 hosts in the same cluster during a transition (provided vCenter is upgraded), so you can roll through hosts gradually. This phased approach is especially useful if some hardware ends up needing tweaks – you can adjust course with minimal impact.
Leverage VMware Tools and Documentation: VMware provides detailed upgrade guides and the vSphere Upgrade Planner. Use these resources – for instance, the vSphere 8 Installation and Setup guide covers hardware requirements and steps to upgrade. The VMware Compatibility Guide online will be your primary reference for supported hardware. Additionally, keep an eye on community forums and knowledge base articles for any gotchas specific to vSphere 8 on certain hardware (for example, some users document workarounds for installing on unofficially supported machines, though such hacks are not recommended for production).
VMware vSphere 8 Compatible Servers
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Sources:
VMware – ESXi 8.0 Installation and Setup Guide (2022): https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere/vsphere/8-0/esxi-installation-and-setup-8-0.html
VMware Community Forums – Discussion on ESXi 8 and older hardware: https://community.broadcom.com/home
Dell Community – “vSphere 8.0 compatibility” thread (Jan 2025): https://www.dell.com
PrimaryIO Blog – Upgrade to vSphere 8: What You Need to Know (May 18, 2025):
Virten.net – VMware vSphere 7.0 vs. 8.0 Comparison (2023):
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