Configure virtual machines to use hyper-threading with NUMA in VMware ESXi 4.1.x / 5.0.x (2003582)

Details

You can change NUMA settings on a per virtual machine basis in ESXi 4.1 and ESXi 5.0 hosts.

For memory latency sensitive workloads with low processor utilization or high interthread communication, use hyper-threads with fewer NUMA nodes instead of full physical cores spread over multiple NUMA nodes. 

Configure virtual machines to use hyper-threading with NUMA.

Solution

Perform either of the following tasks:

• Configure one virtual machine to use hyper-threading with NUMA, add numa.vcpu.preferHT=TRUE for per-virtual machine advanced configuration file.
  
  To edit with vSphere Client:
• 1. Right-click on VM
  2. Select Edit Settings
  3. Click the Options tab.
  4. Highlight General under Advanced options and click Configuration Parameters.
     
• Configure all virtual machines to use hyper-threading with NUMA, add numa.PreferHT=1 for per-host advanced configuration file.
  
  To edit from vCenter Server:
• 1. Highlight Host.
  2. Click the Configuration tab.
  3. Under Software, click Advanced Settings.
  4. Highlight Numa and browse to Numa.PreferHT.

Source:-

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2003582