VMDKs with duplicate names

[Neil_A]

As I am having issues with several VMs that have disks on different LUNs, where the vmdk files are created with the same name, I was wondering if there was something I can do when creating the disk to prevent it happening?

Thanks,

Neil.

[markus_herbert]

That depends on the version of vc/esx you are using. As I remember I have the same problem with esx 3.0.1 and vc 2.0.1.

With the duplicate names, I had problems with snapshots and to backup the vm's with vcb from VMware.

Also you can manually rename the vmdk's with PUTTY directly on the esx Server:

- Power off the vm and make sure, that no snapshot of this vm exists.

- With the VirtualCenter UI delete the disk, but do not delete it physically from your datastore !!

- Log into your esx Server and rename the disk with: vmkfstools -E

- Add the harddisk on the VirtualCenter UI (renamed vmdk file) - searching it with the browser on your datastore

- Power on the vm

With 3.0.2 and vc 2.0.2 the problem wen't away.

[Chamon]

With 3.0.2 and 2.0.2 we still have this problem. Wonder what the differance is?

[markus_herbert]

I'm now at esx 3.0.2 Update 1 and VC 3.0.2 Update 2 level.

Maybe VMware didn't solve the problem to get same names on different datastores when you create a new VM;

but with the same names, there where no problems for making snapshots and using vcb.

[Chamon]

Maybe our problem is with Ranger then.

[Neil_A]

I was on 3.0.1 with VC 2.01. I renamed the vmdk files but VRanger/VCB still refused to back them up. Upgrading to 3.0.2 update 1 and VC 2.0.2 cured that problem. This also resolved the duplicate vmdk names when creating another disk on a different datastore.

Don't think ranger is to blame, as ultimatley it just calls VCB.

[Chamon]

Just FYI. We are not using VCB.

[pdrace]

I am able to backup with Vranger if files are on different volumes and have the the same name but the disk with the duplicate name (windows page file) wasn't selected . I was unable to restore the vm from the backup though. I think the problem is with VRanger. VMware fixed the issue but VRanger still finds it unacceptable.

Message was edited by: pdrace

[illusion555]

We are testing VRanger and running into the same issue. We tried this on ESX 3.5 also so it is not a version issue. The problem seems to be that if you use more than one datastore to put you vmdk files on in the VM creation process it names the files the same but they are seperate datastores and when VRanger tries to back the files up it sees the duplicate names and since they do not associate a true path or UUID with the file it failes.

Thats my take on it but would like to know if anyone has a good process on creating VMs with different vmdk names??

[pdrace]

The best solution would be for VMware to allow you to specify the name when you create additional disks. My process is to create additional disks using vmkfstools at the command line: vmkfstools -c 10g vmname-data.vmdk and then add it the desired vm. Maybe Vizioncore will fix this but I wouldn't count on it.

[Chamon]

The only way we were able to get vRanger to back up both disks was to rename one of the vmdk with

vmkfstools -E old.vmdk new.vmdk

This will rename all associated files and update the metadata at the same time.

[illusion555]

Unfortunatly this will not be a good fix for us not that it is a work around but for temp.

Has anyone tried using PHD esXpress?