VMware Virtual Machine Hardware Version and CPU Features

I always thought that only device not virtualized by VMware ESXi is the CPU. It is generally true but I have just been informed by someone that available CPU instructions sets (Features) are dependent on VM hardware version. CPU Features are generally enhanced CPU Instruction sets for special purposes. For more information about CPUID and Features read this.

My regular readers knows that I don't believe anything unless I test it. Therefore I did a simple test. I provisioned new VM with hardware version 4, installed FreeBSD OS and identified CPU features. You can see screenshot below.

VM with hardware version 4 and FreeBSD Guest OS

Next, I provisioned another VM with hardware 10 with FreeBSD OS on the same ESXi hosts and listed CPU Features. See screenshot below.

VM with hardware version 10 and FreeBSD Guest OS

Now, if you compare CPU Features you can see differences. Following CPU Features are added in VM hardware version 10:

• FMA
• PCID
• X2APIC
• XSAVE
• OSXSAVE
• AVX
• F16C
• RDRAND
• HV

Does it matter? Well, it depends if your particular application really needs advanced CPU features.

vCPU in VMware virtualization is really not virtualized but some CPU Features are masked in older VM hardware because VM hardware emulates particular chipset.

I did not know that! I have never thought about it! My bad.

Anyway, this is just another proof that everyday there is some surprise and you can always learn something new even in area where you believe you are good at. We never know everything.