How to create a NFS 4.1 datastore without vCenter?

[antonio7]

I have a disk-less ESXi 6.0 server and a storage server. In order to deploy vCenter, I need to create NFS v4.1 datastore first. The problem is that I need a vCenter to do this. Is there a way to create a NFS datastore before I install vCenter?

[bradley4681]

Are you getting an error message? Normally you just mount it after creating it on the NFS server.

On your NFS server you create your volume and share it out. In ESXi connect with the desktop client and you go to the datastores tab and click add new storage and choose type, NFS and then 4.1 and put in the connection details, IP or hostname and the share path.

This is for 2008 storage server but pretty much the same, http://www.vmwarearena.com/2012/07/create-nfs-datastore-for-esx-in-windows.html

[antonio7]

The problem is that there is no such an option: NFS 4.1

[RichardBush]

You should be able to do this by ssh connection to the host and using the:

esxcli storage nfs41 add

command, I m not sat next to my v6 lab at the moment so cant give you exact comment.

[RichardBush]

some info in this link:

Just one more esxi-guy: vSphere 6 NFSv4.1 Support

Rich

[brunofernandez1]

what about trying it with the native client connecting direct to the esxi server?

[RichardBush]

As far as I am aware that doesn't work, think the option is only there when using the Webclient, hence the vcenter requirement.

[brunofernandez1]

im sorry...with 5.5 this was still possible...

[RichardBush]

My understanding was that nfs4 wasn't supported in any 5.x environment.

has that changed ?

R

[antonio7]

The question is about 6.0

[RichardBush]

‌check my post above about the cli, you should be able to complete the mapping that way.

Rich