VI 3.5 - My Experience in test lab (ESX2.5.3 adminstrator)

We have ESX2.5.3 running 8 machines on 2x2.8Ghz

As test - we installed VI3.5 on whitebox dual X5130 with 4GB and NO SCSI/RAID (repeat - no scsi or raid)

ESB2 chipset on ICH8(5000p) was detected but no raid functionality of RAID - anyway - great to test - and changed our strategy - read on.

The install was done in 30 mins. The computer on which VI3.5 was installed becomes dedictaed with no console and no way to input anything (unlike esx in which we can have consoles and full set of linux commands)

The management software runs on Java and is a bit quirky but intutive enough - It didnt take much to learn (uirky - as each change is to be followed by commit buton)

Anyway - summry of install - Its easy - The guide by VI is useless and anybody trying to install should not be put off.

The performance - Without tools - pathetic - with tools - The "feel" is little bit slower than ESX2.5.3

Now questions -
1. The best kept secret is that RAID isnt required to install (atleast to test) - It works on standard intel chipsets. So, we would like to install VI3.5 on antiquated 4.5GB SCSI disk(becasue SCSI is good). So, does VI installs and then loads itself into memory? Since we will install it on very slow disk - will performance be effected? Does VI use swap partition? Since VI3.5 doesnot share memory like ESX, I dont think any swap is reqd.

2. iSCSI - We will install software SCSI on windows 2003 and use it to hold vhds. We will use 2003 volume shadow copy to copy VHD as backup. Is it possible?

3. When we click backup database - what does it do? Suppose we have node crash, - is this strategy below workable-

Reisntall VI, restore database, and restore links to VHD (on iSCSI target) - your server is up and back alive in 30 mins - all because of wonderful 2003 technology - VSS (no backup software reqd)

Any comments and answers appreciated.