I have tested the IB adapter in 3 different PCIE slots with no change in VMWare.
The adapter works correctly in Windows 2008 R2 & Windows 2012 R2.
> Updated firmware on Infiniband adapter (2.10.720)
> I have installed Mellanox OFED drivers (MLNX-OFED-ESX-1.9.10.0-10EM-550.0.0.1331820)
> LSPCI shows the hardware (0000:04:00.0 Serial bus controller: Mellanox Technologies MT26428 [ConnectX VPI - 10GigE / IB QDR, PCIe 2.0 5GT/s] [vmnic4])
> Supermicro X9DRi-LN4F+ (http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/c600/x9dri-ln4f_.cfm)
> Mellanox ConnectX-2 VPI (MHRH29B-XTR)
~ # /opt/mellanox/bin/flint -d /dev/mt26428_pci_cr0 query
Image type: FS2
FW Version: 2.9.1200
Device ID: 26428
Description: Node Port1 Port2 Sys image
GUIDs: 0002c903000d2274 0002c903000d2275 0002c903000d2276 0002c903000d2277
MACs: 0002c90d2274 0002c90d2275
VSD:
PSID: MT_0D81120009
~ # esxcli software vib list | grep Mellanox
mft 3.6.0.24-0 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-ib-addr 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-ib-cm 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-ib-core 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-ib-mad 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-ib-sa 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-ib-umad 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-mlx4-core 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-mlx4-en 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-mlx4-ib 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-mst 3.6.0.24-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
net-rdma-cm 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
scsi-ib-iser 1.9.10.0-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820 Mellanox PartnerSupported 2014-08-19
~ # esxcli network nic list
Name PCI Device Driver Link Speed Duplex MAC Address MTU Description
------ ------------- ------ ---- ----- ------ ----------------- ---- -------------------------------------------------
vmnic0 0000:006:00.0 igb Down 0 Half 00:25:90:f3:98:da 1500 Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection
vmnic1 0000:006:00.1 igb Down 0 Half 00:25:90:f3:98:db 1500 Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection
vmnic2 0000:006:00.2 igb Up 1000 Full 00:25:90:f3:98:dc 1500 Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection
vmnic3 0000:006:00.3 igb Down 0 Half 00:25:90:f3:98:dd 1500 Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection