I have a 5TB local disk array (RAID) that I'm adding to my ESX server (3.5u5).
When I use VirtualCenter (2.5u4) to attempt to add the storage, it shows it correctly at 5TB but only says 1TB is "Available", even though it's a new, empty volume.
I'm not going to have to carve up my JBOD into multiple 1TB volumes, am I? That would eat up a lot of disks as hot spares since I'd have to have some for each volume...
FWIW this is a Sun x4150 server, with a J4500 external JBOD array with 44 256GB disks configured as a single RAID 10 volume (and 3 hot spares), using a Sun StorageTek 8-port RAID External controller.
Thanks,
Bob
The maximum LUN size you can present is 2TB.
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_config_max.pdf
The maximum LUN size you can present is 2TB.
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35u2/vi3_35_25_u2_config_max.pdf
Hello.
There is also some information on this in kb 3371739.
Good Luck!
Thanks. Can you explain why I'm only seeing 1TB "Available"?
I'd hate to go to all the trouble to reconfigure to 3 logical volumes (2 x 2TB + 1 x 1TB, with spares for each) only to find that I still only see 1TB on each...
usually ESX will see in the large volume, anything less that does not equal the 2TB -512byte limit. Is the volume you are presenting 5TB?, nothing more?
but as you mentioned you will have to carve up smaller volumes. I don't like the idea of presenting the maximum size LUN to an ESX Host. I typically ask my storage guys to give me 500 or 600GB chunks.
usually ESX will see in the large volume, anything less that does not equal the 2TB -512byte limit. Is the volume you are presenting 5TB?, nothing more?
It's somewhere between 5-6 TB.
but as you mentioned you will have to carve up smaller volumes. I don't like the idea of presenting the maximum size LUN to an ESX Host. I typically ask my storage guys to give me 500 or 600GB chunks.
I inherited the array and have nothing else to use it for, so thought I'd just present the whole thing.
Why don't you like approaching the max size LUN?
-Bob
>
Why don't you like approaching the max size LUN?
more disk typically means more vm's, which typically means more disk I/0, which could result in performance problems.
just my opinion though. You can use the maximum if you'd like, but you will see most people using LUNs around 500 - 600GB.
Just my 2 cents worth, I had a similiar experience with a 3TB disk, turned out I could only see 1TB. When added an extra 500GB, I could then see 1.5TB. My reasoning is that it only sees what is left AFTER the 2 TB limit was reached, and not the first full 2TB of the 3.5 TB.
It may be the same for you....