Running VMware HCI in a nested environment within ESXi for testing purposes can be done, but it often comes with limitations and potential issues. While you've set up the VMX configurations to emulate SSDs with a SATA controller, the nested virtualization environment may not perfectly replicate the required hardware functionalities, leading to failed health checks within HCI. These nested setups tend to introduce performance overheads and might lack the precise compatibility required for complex systems like HCI. If it's solely for testing, you could explore tweaking configurations, yet for a robust and reliable production setup, opting for bare metal would be the more advisable choice to ensure the required performance, reliability, and compatibility of VMware HCI.

Running VMware HCI in a nested environment within ESXi for testing purposes can be done, but it often comes with limitations and potential issues. While you've set up the VMX configurations to emulate SSDs with a SATA controller, the nested virtualization environment may not perfectly replicate the required hardware functionalities, leading to failed health checks within HCI. These nested setups tend to introduce performance overheads and might lack the precise compatibility required for complex systems like HCI. If it's solely for testing, you could explore tweaking configurations, yet for a robust and reliable production setup, opting for bare metal would be the more advisable choice to ensure the required performance, reliability, and compatibility of VMware HCI.