Can the Thinvent Aero Mini PC run VMware ESXi?
The Thinvent Aero Mini PC is built on the Intel N5095A processor. The facts supplied with this query cover the ESXi host requirements, but they do not state that the Aero is certified for ESXi. Check the VMware Compatibility Guide for the exact hardware model and ESXi version before you deploy it.
ESXi host requirements to check
VMware ESXi 8.0 sets these minimums for a host:
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At least two CPU cores. The N5095A has four cores.
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A 64-bit x86 processor with the NX/XD bit enabled in the BIOS.
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At least 8 GB of physical RAM. VMware recommends at least 12 GB to run virtual machines in typical production environments.
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Hardware virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD RVI) enabled on x64 CPUs, which is required for 64-bit virtual machines.
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One or more Gigabit or faster Ethernet controllers from the VMware Compatibility Guide.
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A boot disk of at least 32 GB of persistent storage (HDD, SSD or NVMe) that is not shared between hosts.
Thinvent Aero Mini PC specifications
| Specification | Thinvent Aero Mini PC |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel N5095A |
| Processor generation | 11th |
| Processor series | Celeron |
| Cores | 4 |
| Maximum frequency | 2.9 GHz |
| Cache | 4 MB |
| Main memory | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 128 GB SSD |
| Wireless | No WiFi |
The 16 GB of RAM and four cores exceed the ESXi minimums. The Aero models in this range do not include WiFi, so the network connection is wired.
Network adapters for ESXi
ESXi needs a supported network adapter. Intel NICs, such as the i225 and i226, are the usual choice for ESXi hosts. A Realtek RTL8125 adapter may not be supported by ESXi. Confirm the NIC model in the VMware Compatibility Guide before you install.
Use cases
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Home labs for testing VMware ESXi and virtual machines
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Small-office virtualization and lightweight server workloads
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Learning and training environments for vSphere administration
Thinvent products for VMware ESXi
The Thinvent Aero Mini PC range is offered with Windows 11 IoT, Windows 11 Professional, DOS and Thinux Embedded Linux. The Intel N5095A processor, 16 GB DDR4 RAM and 128 GB SSD are the same across all variants. A Keyboard and Mouse set is available as an add-on option.
