Previously called the VMware Compatibility Guide, this Broadcom website records which firmware, devices and hardware are certified for use with vSAN, ESX and other products. vSphere Lifecycle Manager uses it when validating hosts and suggesting images.
Also called BCG, formerly VMware Compatibility Guide.
Read more: Broadcom TechDocs
In the Ultra Transcenders books
Each book explains Broadcom Compatibility Guide in context, with comparison tables and the common traps.
Terms in this definition
- Certified
The higher of the two endorsement levels, above Promoted. It tells users an item has been checked by an authorised reviewer and meets organisational quality standards; a Fabric admin turns the feature on and decides who may certify.
- vSAN
VMware's software-defined storage, which combines local devices across a cluster's ESX hosts into one shared datastore. Available as OSA or ESA, VCF can use it as principal storage.
- ESX
VMware's bare-metal hypervisor, installed on each host in a VCF fleet. Up to version 9.0 it was known as ESXi.
- vSphere Lifecycle Manager
Service in vCenter for installing, updating and upgrading ESX hosts and clusters based on a desired image. From 9.0, host upgrades cannot be done with baselines.
Related terms
- HCL
Hardware compatibility list, nowadays found in the Broadcom Compatibility Guide with the vSAN HCL database. vLCM consults it before it upgrades or remediates.
- TLC flash
Triple-level cell NAND flash, which holds three bits in each memory cell. vSAN ESA only supports NVMe TLC drives that the Broadcom Compatibility Guide lists as ESA-certified.