How to restore deleted iSCSI LUN

[TRICKBONZE]

Hello, everyone

I am new in here.

Please give me some advice.

I have been using ESXi 4.0 build 171294, ESXi 4.1 260247 and QNAP TS-119 NAS.

ESXi is connected to TS-119 with iSCSI.

Accidentally, one of datastore is deleted from ESX.

vSphere Client -> Configuration -> Storage -> Delete has been done.

The datastore has 20 virtual machines.

I think they are not gone yet, just unable to recognize them from ESXi.

Does anyone know how reconnect deleted iSCSI LUN again?

Or, is it possible to mount iSCSI VMFS on Windows then rescue vmdk and vmx?

After deleted datastore, I tried to backup QNAP iSCSI LUN, then restore to

other QNAP datastore which is recognized from all ESXi Server. But, it didn't work.

Recongnized datastore is gone again and need to "Add Storage" and format it.

I did not format yet, just deleted from ESXi.

Does anyone have the same experience and succeeded to salvage your VMs?

Please help.

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the Community - Have you tried rescanning the iSCSI SAN? Because that does not delete the LUN but removes form the ESXi list -

[TRICKBONZE]

Hello, weinstein5

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I tried to rescan vmhba and refresh, but it didn't come back.

I tried to resigniture, but it didn't work either.

I think ESXi Server recognizes iSCSI LUN because LUN is listed when I click "Add Storage".

I want reconnect the LUN without formatting.

I should have backup LUN before delete....

Does anyone succeed rescue data?

[mydearcosmo]

You might have done a few things other than or before you have removed the ESXi list that's why your LUN can't be seen elsewhere.

[TRICKBONZE]

I knew iscsi datastore won't be came back if I delete from ESX.

But, accidentally I deleted it when tried to unmount the iSCSI LUN.

Just after deleted, datastore name is displayed gray Italic on another

ESX and shown (inactive) . So, I tried rescan and refresh then datastore was

completely gone.

I asked QNAP if any customers have had the same problem and recovered data.

QNAP answer was "If you deleted the volume, there is no way to recover by normal method.

you shuold specialist data recovery company"

[vHaridas]

it looks you have have lost the VMFS from lun.

i tried to simulate your issue, by deleting iscsi LUN, got below message, it clearly syas if you delete this lun it will delete all your virtual machine files.

"This operation will permanently delete all the files associated with the virtual machines on this datastore"

I would suggest get VMware or data recovery specialist involved to rescue your VMs.

[TRICKBONZE]

hello, vHaridas

Thank you for your reply.

It seems to be all vmdk has been gone.

I have tried hard to find the way of salvage, but

I could not find the way to read vmfs from Windows over iSCSI.

I gave up now.

Fortunatly, half of VMs were duplicated before deleted.

So, I will create half more again.

Thank you all. I really appreciate your help.

[vHaridas]

Bad luck, try to get support from VMware if you have the support.

Does anyone know, whether VMware Support Team help, when we lose the vmfs & virtual files?