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gmreddy
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Converting Windows box as NAS

Hi,

I want to create a lab. My requirement is to create a centralized storage so that I can test VMotion and HA etc...

As I don't have much knowledge about Linux, is it possible to convert windows box as NAS? Is there any tool/ software to convert windows box as NAS.

GMR

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Chris_S_UK
Expert
Expert

Yes, you can install "Services for Unix" and configure it as an NFS server.

There are guides easily found detailing how to do this.

Chris

PerryWhittle
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

personally i used Fedora Core 6 (supports MOUNT V3 over TCP) to install my NAS/NFS boxes, the OS is free and i think you'll find the linux OS does a better job of NFS than winblows. Smiley Wink

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gmreddy
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Yes you are right, Linux OS will give better performance but I don't have Linux knowledge to create NFS Smiley Sad

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aaragao
Contributor
Contributor

It's easy. Install CentOS 5.1(very stable Linux distribution) on your NAS box with the default options.

Put something like this in /etc/exports

/share "your network"(insecure,no_root_squash)

If you any questions email me (aaragao@gmail.com) I will provide you any help you need.

It is easy.

Bye.

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PerryWhittle
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

dude

this is the documentation i followed

read that and follow and you'll be fine. You only need to follow set up for NFS server not client. Fedora Core rocks for NFS and you know its reliable (Linux) Smiley Wink

######################################

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gmreddy
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

Thanks for the useful Information. I will try and let you know.

GMR

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rswitzer
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Not sure if this is what you are looking for but I installed freeNAS. It basically works like an appliance. I just downloaded ISO and booted into it. Then you manage it through a webpage.

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Trizumi
Contributor
Contributor

Do you think FreeNAS would work?

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rswitzer
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Not sure if I understand the question? FreeNAS works fine as a VM. I just add another disk to the VM, and go into FreeNAS and set that disk up for storage. Windows boxes see it as storage on the Network. Based on the original question I think it would work fine.

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Trizumi
Contributor
Contributor

Not a question ... It was just a reply to the original message in the thread. I am very, very new to the VMworld and had never tried it before. I have however used it for other projects. I am glad to hear it can be use as ESX storage. It will be helpful in my lab.

Trizumi

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rswitzer
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Ahhh. Yep I use it at home. Very nice for free.

Robert Switzer

Director, Technical Infrastructure

Student Loan Xpress

A CIT Company

513-768-7204

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Corpse
Contributor
Contributor

I have freenas setup as back-end storage via NFS for ESX 3.5 and it works good. I set it up on 2 very old "slot1" type PCs with 256MB RAM. I picked up a couple of cheap SATA cards and a couple of 500GB drives off Newegg and was off and running. BTW, stay away from SATA cards with the Silicon Image chip. They don't work with freenas (at least not my version) and will cause reboots every time you put a load on the HDDs.

Another thing I'm struggling with is that I also use this for general NAS for file shares and it's not working very well to lock things down using AD groups / NTFS permissions. Could be just my lack of experience but if you don't know linux then it might be best to just use it for NFS for your ESX and keep your general shares on a Windows box.

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Leafy911
Expert
Expert

Openfiler has a very user friendly setup that I'm sure you will not find intimidating

Nice web interface, too!

Regards

Leafy911

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Regards Leafy911 (Dont forget you recieve points when you award points)
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Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

If you do not want to use Windows SFU, then I second the suggestion for OpenFiler. SFU is a poor overall performer but will work in a pinch which is the only time I use it.

Openfiler is incredibly easy to use and setup. Install, create a LUN and go.


Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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