VMDK file to SAN block level LBA mapping : API ?

[mysticknight]

We were trying to see if there an API equivalent to get the following information via VDDK or any other library

We are currently getting the mapping via vmkfstools using a hidden option "-t0" as shown below in the output, but we wanted to use this information in a reliable manner via an API so that later on if the output changes we do not get affected.. Or if the hidden option gets removed in future.

[root@esxr520:/vmfs/volumes/56ec1423-3f0545b4-6c5b-001b215fe901/vm1] vmkfstools -t0 /vmfs/volumes/raidds520/vm13/vm13.vmdk
Mapping for file /vmfs/volumes/raidds520/vm13/vm13.vmdk (64424509440 bytes in size):
[           0:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2157708312576 -->  2158245183488)]
[   536870912:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2158245183488 -->  2158782054400)]
[  1073741824:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2158782054400 -->  2159318925312)]
[  1610612736:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2159318925312 -->  2159855796224)]
[  2147483648:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2159855796224 -->  2160392667136)]
[  2684354560:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2160392667136 -->  2160929538048)]
[  3221225472:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2160929538048 -->  2161466408960)]
[  3758096384:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2161466408960 -->  2162003279872)]
[  4294967296:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2162003279872 -->  2162540150784)]
[  4831838208:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2162540150784 -->  2163077021696)]
[  5368709120:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2163077021696 -->  2163613892608)]
[  5905580032:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2163613892608 -->  2164150763520)]
[  6442450944:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2164150763520 -->  2164687634432)]
[  6979321856:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2164687634432 -->  2165224505344)]
[  7516192768:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2165224505344 -->  2165761376256)]

[root@esxr520-stortrends:/vmfs/volumes/56ec1423-3f0545b4-6c5b-001b215fe901/vm1] vmkfstools -t0 /vmfs/volumes/raidds520/vm13/vm13.vmdk

Mapping for file /vmfs/volumes/raidds520/vm13/vm13.vmdk (64424509440 bytes in size):

[           0:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2157708312576 -->  2158245183488)]

[   536870912:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2158245183488 -->  2158782054400)]

[  1073741824:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2158782054400 -->  2159318925312)]

[  1610612736:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2159318925312 -->  2159855796224)]

[  2147483648:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2159855796224 -->  2160392667136)]

[  2684354560:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2160392667136 -->  2160929538048)]

[  3221225472:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2160929538048 -->  2161466408960)]

[  3758096384:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2161466408960 -->  2162003279872)]

[  4294967296:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2162003279872 -->  2162540150784)]

[  4831838208:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2162540150784 -->  2163077021696)]

[  5368709120:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2163077021696 -->  2163613892608)]

[  5905580032:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2163613892608 -->  2164150763520)]

[  6442450944:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2164150763520 -->  2164687634432)]

[  6979321856:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2164687634432 -->  2165224505344)]

[  7516192768:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:56ec1422-ea84df18-745c-001b215fe901/56ec1422-e4af496d-7fc1-001b215fe901/1:( 2165224505344 -->  2165761376256)]

[mysticknight]

To have more clarity to what we are trying to achieve

We were reading the lba 0 and length of 1 sector from a particular vmdk as shown in the command below

C:\VMware-vix-disklib-6.0.0-2498720.x86_64\doc\sample\Debug>vixDiskLibSample.exe -dump -start 0 -count 1 -host "10.40.0.4" -user administrator@vsphere.local -password xxxxx -libdir "C:\VMware-vix-disklib-6.0.0-2498720.x86_64" -thumb xx:xx:xx -initex "vddk.config" -mode san -ssmoref "snapshot-4586" -vm "moref=vm-4585" "[vm1] vm1_clone/vm1_clone-000003.vmdk"

When tracing the WireShark, the VDDK translated it to LBA 0x0597e000 which is 93839360 on the SAN.

242 7.108743 10.50.0.31 10.50.12.32 iSCSI 102 SCSI: Read(10) LUN: 0x00 (LBA: 0x0597e000, Len: 1)

This also matches with the start lba reported by vmkfstools 48045752320 ( bytes ) - > 93839360 (sector )

[root@esxr520:/vmfs/volumes/56ec1423-3f0545b4-6c5b-001b215fe901/vm1] vmkfstools -t0 /vmfs/volumes/vm1/vm1_clone/vm1_clone-000003.vmdk

Mapping for file /vmfs/volumes/vm1/vm1_clone/vm1_clone-000003.vmdk (64424509440 bytes in size):

[           0:   536870912] --> [VMFS -- LVID:59c95a94-2c6c5327-fd6d-001b215fe901/59c95a94-14c5603d-248a-001b215fe901/1:( 48045752320 -->  48582623232)]

So that lba conversion map is what we are trying to get from VDDK. VDDK is able to get the map using some API. We need to know which API it is or if its exposed

2

42 7.108743 10.50.0.31 10.50.12.32 iSCSI 102 SCSI: Read(10) LUN: 0x00 (LBA: 0x0597e000, Len: 1)

[mysticknight · Accepted solution]

We were able to get the Data structures and APIs used for the same by traversing through VCServiceInstance

[sjoseph87]

Could you tell us where in the MOB you figured this out?

[mysticknight]

How to browse the internal vSphere APIs

This link was what led us to the same