VMware vSphere: Storage - VMFS

Summary

In this VMware training segment, Brian Watchers demonstrates how to create and manage a VMFS data store on an ESXi host. He explains how to configure different types of storage, such as fiber channel, NFS, and VMFS, and guides users through the process of creating a VMFS data store, browsing its contents, and utilizing its storage space for virtual machines. The video also highlights the role of data stores in enabling technologies like vMotion and DRS. Additionally, users learn how to add virtual disks to virtual machines using the newly created data store.

Takeaways

• 😀 VMFS data stores are essential for storing virtual machine files, templates, and ISOs in VMware vSphere environments.
• 😀 VMware vSphere supports a variety of storage options such as local storage, Fibre Channel, iSCSI, NFS, and VMFS.
• 😀 VMFS, NFS, Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel over Ethernet, and iSCSI can all support booting from SAN, but NFS and DAS do not.
• 😀 A data store in VMware can be accessed concurrently by multiple hosts and virtual machines, enabling features like vMotion, DRS, and HA.
• 😀 When creating a VMFS data store, selecting the correct LUN and VMFS version is crucial for optimal performance and feature support.
• 😀 VMFS 5 is the recommended file system version due to its support for the latest features.
• 😀 To create a VMFS data store, you must first consult with your storage team to have a LUN created and presented to the ESXi host.
• 😀 You can browse the contents of a VMFS data store to view stored files, such as VM folders, templates, and ISOs.
• 😀 When adding a new virtual disk to a VM, you can specify a data store to store the virtual disk, ensuring proper use of storage space.
• 😀 VMware allows you to create thick or thin provisioned virtual disks, providing flexibility in how storage space is allocated for VMs.
• 😀 To ensure efficient storage management, you can select the data store location when adding a virtual disk to ensure it resides in the correct storage.

Q & A

What are the different types of storage that an ESXi host can access?

An ESXi host can access several types of storage, including directly attached storage (e.g., local SCSI storage), Fibre Channel storage, Fibre Channel over Ethernet, iSCSI, and NFS.

What factors should be considered when choosing between different types of storage?

When choosing between different types of storage, one important factor to consider is the capabilities of the storage types. For example, Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel over Ethernet, and iSCSI all support booting from SAN, whereas NFS and DAS do not.

What is the concept of a 'data store' in VMware vSphere?

In VMware vSphere, a data store is a location where files such as virtual machine files, templates, and ISOs are stored. There are two types of data stores: VMFS data stores and NFS data stores.

How can a single data store be used by multiple hosts and virtual machines?

A single data store can be accessed by multiple hosts and virtual machines simultaneously, enabling concurrent access. This concurrent access is essential for technologies such as vMotion, DRS, and HA (High Availability).

What steps are involved in creating a VMFS data store?

To create a VMFS data store, navigate to the 'Host and Clusters' view, select the host, go to the 'Storage' link, and use the 'Add Storage' wizard. Choose VMFS as the storage type, select the appropriate LUN, and configure the desired VMFS file system version (e.g., VMFS 5).

What file system options are available when creating a VMFS data store?

When creating a VMFS data store, you can choose between VMFS 5, the latest version, which provides advanced features, or the older VMFS 3 file system.

Can you create a VMFS data store that is smaller than the LUN it resides in?

Yes, it is possible to create a VMFS data store that is smaller than the LUN it resides in, although by default, the data store is created with the same size as the LUN.

What happens after creating a new VMFS data store?

After creating a new VMFS data store, you can browse the contents of the data store. Initially, the data store might only contain a single folder, but as it is used, it will typically contain multiple folders for virtual machines, templates, and ISOs.

How do you add a virtual disk to an existing virtual machine using a newly created data store?

To add a virtual disk, right-click the virtual machine, choose 'Edit Settings', and select 'Add' under the Hardware section. Choose to create a new virtual disk, select the desired disk size, and specify the newly created data store as the location for the virtual disk.

What is the difference between thick provisioned and thin provisioned virtual disks?

A thick provisioned virtual disk allocates the entire disk space upfront, while a thin provisioned virtual disk only uses the space that is actually written to, allowing for more efficient use of storage resources.