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vSAN Leverage External Storage

Hi Experts,

In order to build VMware vSAN can SAN/NAS be leveraged in terms of the storage or it is mandate to use internal storage of the server?

Regards

PK

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TheBobkin
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Hello PK,

"we can't add SAN/NAS to existing 3 node cluster, right?"

You can attach the external storage to it as you would attach storage to any ESXi node, however it will not becomes a part of vsanDatastore

"Can we use SAN/NAS in HCI environment? If yes, will it behave as per vSAN algorithm?"

You can use it but it will just be a regular datastore, not a vsanDatastore and everything that entails.

"I am trying to leverage external storage as well. How does it work?"

It works exactly the same as a normal non-vSAN ESXi with external storage attached does.

"I am sure we can also leverage cloud storage for vSAN?"

Yes there are some providers whose cloud offerings are backed by vSAN.

Bob

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TheBobkin
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Hello PK,

No, local storage only. You can of course attach SAN/NAS to it as well though.

Bob

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Hi Bob,

Thanks for the reply.

However, I have few queries as below and I hope it clarifies my confusion.

  • VSAN with 3 node cluster (Using Local Storage Only), we can't add SAN/NAS to existing 3 node cluster, right?
  • Can we use SAN/NAS in HCI environment? If yes, will it behave as per vSAN algorithm? I need to understand what if I have my existing HCI environment with vSAN 3 node cluster and I am trying to leverage external storage as well. How does it work?
  • I am sure we can also leverage cloud storage for vSAN?

Regards

PK

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TheBobkin
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Hello PK,

"we can't add SAN/NAS to existing 3 node cluster, right?"

You can attach the external storage to it as you would attach storage to any ESXi node, however it will not becomes a part of vsanDatastore

"Can we use SAN/NAS in HCI environment? If yes, will it behave as per vSAN algorithm?"

You can use it but it will just be a regular datastore, not a vsanDatastore and everything that entails.

"I am trying to leverage external storage as well. How does it work?"

It works exactly the same as a normal non-vSAN ESXi with external storage attached does.

"I am sure we can also leverage cloud storage for vSAN?"

Yes there are some providers whose cloud offerings are backed by vSAN.

Bob

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Hey Bob,

Thanks a lot for all your help!

I would request you to please share any documentations/videos (where these scenarios has been explained) or Demos(Where I can practice).

Regards

PK

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TheBobkin
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Hello PK,

Synopsis of vSAN nodes with attached non-vSAN storage:

vSAN and Traditional Storage

VMware Hands On Labs - great free resource for test-driving different VMware products including vSAN:

VMware Learning Platform

Compendium of easily-digested vSAN material sorted by numerous categories:

VMware vSAN | VMware

Bob

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Hi Bob,

Appreciate you SupportSmiley Happy

Regards

PK

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9990374530
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Hi Bob,

Just to know more about below query:

"we can't add SAN/NAS to existing 3 node cluster, right?"

You can attach the external storage to it as you would attach storage to any ESXi node, however it will not becomes a part of vsanDatastore

Please let me now if below example is correct or not.

I have 3 node ESXI node cluster with vSAN datastore (HCI Environment).

We can add external SAN/NAS to the same esxi nodes but this will not be apart of existing vSAN datastore cluster, Right?

Moreover, please let me know if the same esxi nodes with vSAN datastore and external storage can be managed by same Vcenter Management Console?

vSAN is object based storage, Is there any role of iSCSI target in vSAN datastores?

"iSCSI target services uses LUNs to enable an initiator on a remote host to transport block-level data to a storage device in the vSAN cluster".

Regards

PK

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sk84
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We can add external SAN/NAS to the same esxi nodes but this will not be apart of existing vSAN datastore cluster, Right?

Yes, that's also what Bob wrote.

Moreover, please let me know if the same esxi nodes with vSAN datastore and external storage can be managed by same Vcenter Management Console?

Yes. From traditional storage side, nothing changes. It's exactly the same as without vSAN. At the end you will have at least 2 datastores. One is vSAN backed and the other is a regular iSCSI, NFS, FC or local datastore as you know it without vSAN.

vSAN is object based storage, Is there any role of iSCSI target in vSAN datastores?

Basically iSCSI is not required for the setup and operation of vSAN and it doesn't use the iSCSI protocol for internal communication. However, you can configure vSAN as iSCSI target and use vSAN as data storage on other systems outside the vSAN cluster. But ESXi is not supported as initiator. That means, you can't connect a vSAN datastore from ESXi cluster A to ESXi cluster B. Instead you could connect a vSAN datastore to a physical server with Windows or Linux as OS via iSCSI.

--- Regards, Sebastian VCP6.5-DCV // VCP7-CMA // vSAN 2017 Specialist Please mark this answer as 'helpful' or 'correct' if you think your question has been answered correctly.
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Hi Sebastian,

Thanks for your response!

However, in regard to vSAN iSCSI protocol, I would like to highlight few lines as mentioned in document below. Need to know if this statement is correct.

"vSAN does not behave like traditional storage volumes based on LUNs or NFS shares. The iSCSI target service uses LUNs to enable an initiator on a remote host to transport block-level data to a storage device in the vSAN cluster".

vSAN and Traditional Storage

Regards

Pravesh Kaushal

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sk84
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Yes, vSAN must provide a LUN otherwise iSCSI wouldn't work.

--- Regards, Sebastian VCP6.5-DCV // VCP7-CMA // vSAN 2017 Specialist Please mark this answer as 'helpful' or 'correct' if you think your question has been answered correctly.
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