ESXi supports the use of Jumbo Frames with iSCSI.

Jumbo Frames are Ethernet frames with the size that exceeds 1500 Bytes. The maximum transmission unit (MTU) parameter is typically used to measure the size of Jumbo Frames.

When you use Jumbo Frames for iSCSI traffic, the following considerations apply:

  • All network components must support Jumbo Frames.
  • Check with your vendors to ensure your physical NICs and iSCSI adapters support Jumbo Frames.
  • To set up and verify physical network switches for Jumbo Frames, consult your vendor documentation.

The following table explains the level of support that ESXi provides to Jumbo Frames.

Table 1. Support of Jumbo Frames
Type of iSCSI Adapters Jumbo Frames Support
Software iSCSI Supported
Dependent Hardware iSCSI Supported. Check with vendor.
Independent Hardware iSCSI Supported. Check with vendor.
VMware iSER Supported. Check with vendor.