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How do I know which host operating system type is correct?

The Host Operating System Type field contains the operating system of the host. You can select the recommended host type from the drop-down list or allow the Host Context Agent (HCA) to configure the host and appropriate host operating system type.

The host types that appear in the drop-down list depend on the storage array model and the firmware version. The most recent versions display the most common options first, which are the most likely to be appropriate. Appearance on this list does not imply the option is fully supported.

Some of the following host types might appear in the list:

Host Operating System typeOperating System (OS) and multipath driver
Linux DM-MP (Kernel 3.10 or later)Supports Linux operating systems using a Device Mapper multipath failover solution with a 3.10 or later Kernel.
VMware ESXiSupports VMware ESXi operating systems running the Native Multipathing Plug-in (NMP) architecture using the VMware built-in Storage Array Type Policy module SATP_ALUA.
Windows (clustered or non-clustered)Supports Windows clustered or non-clustered configurations that are not running the ATTO multipathing driver.
IBM SVCSupports an IBM SAN Volume Controller configuration.
Factory DefaultReserved for the initial start-up of the storage array. If your host operating system type is set to Factory Default, change it to match the host operating system and multipath driver running on the connected host.
Linux DM-MP (Kernel 3.9 or earlier)Supports Linux operating systems using a Device Mapper multipath failover solution with a 3.9 or earlier Kernel.
Window Clustered (deprecated)If your host operating system type is set to this value, use the Windows (clustered or non-clustered) setting instead.
After the HCA is installed and the storage is attached to the host, the HCA sends the host topology to the storage controllers through the I/O path. Based on the host topology, the storage controllers automatically define the host and the associated host ports, and then set the host type.
Note
If the HCA does not select the recommended host type, you must manually set the host type.