Internel storage is not detecting.

[iinasprabhu]

Dear all,

I have installed ESX server3 on one of my test machine. Machine has single hard drive and at Linux part i have created and mounted one partition called /vmclnt.

At Linux i can see the partition /vmclnt as mounted. I cal login to the test machine using vmware client.

My problem is after login if i go to configuration--->storage or storage adapters and scan this I will not be able to see /vmclnt.

As per my knowledge to create virtual machines we need to have storage. Can we use local partition of the disk as storage?

If yes then where exactly I am making mistake.

Can any one please help me.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu.

[Santhosh_vmware]

hi nagesh,

to simplify do not create partition,empty partition must be shown in VI while rescanning.If not create a partition using fdisk and change its type "fb"

and create a vmfsfilesystem using

#vmkfstools -C vmfs3 vmhba0:0:0:X -S storage1 where X is the partition number.

regards

santhosh

Message was edited by: Santhosh_vmware

[jhanekom]

Agreed. To clarify a bit further: you cannot use a standard ext3 partition to store virtual machines. You must use a proprietary VMFS-formatted partition (partition type code "fb") to store virtual machines.

The vmkfstools command given by Santhosh will format a pre-created partition with the VMFS file system.

Once you have formatted the volume, you may need to rescan your storage for new VMFS volumes from within the VI client for the new space to become visible.

[iinasprabhu]

Hi Santhosh,

Thank you very much I will let know.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu.

[Santhosh_vmware]

Hi Nagesh,

If the problem is solved ,Please help us in scoring points by selecting appropriate post as answered ,Thanks

regards

santhosh

[iinasprabhu]

Hi all,

Thank you very much for the information.

I have tried your suggetions but no luck.

I have performed the partition using f disk and specified the type as "fb". Its showing as unknown in partition table.

But the thing is I am not able to find vmhba address because esxcfg-mpath -l or -a is not giving any details.

I have tried with the vmkfstools -C vmfs3 vmhbaW:X:Y:Z. -S storage1. which gives error as bad file descriptor.

can you please help me.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu

[iinasprabhu]

Santhosh,

Surely I will do that.

nagesh.

[Santhosh_vmware]

Hi Nagesh,

Service console will not have idea of fb partition,

to get all volumes mounted use #vdf instead of #df

you will get vmhba number by

#esxcfg-vmhbadevs -q

vmhba0:0:0 /dev/sda

and partition number by

# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 8589 MB, 8589934592 bytes

64 heads, 32 sectors/track, 8192 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 = 1048576 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sda1 * 1 100 102384 83 Linux

/dev/sda2 101 2100 2048000 fb Unknown

/dev/sda3 2101 6188 4186112 83 Linux

/dev/sda4 6189 8192 2052096 f Win95 Ext'd (LBA)

/dev/sda5 6189 6956 786416 82 Linux swap

/dev/sda6 6957 8092 1163248 83 Linux

/dev/sda7 8093 8192 102384 fc Unknown

In this case I would have used the command

#vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -S sname vmhba0:0:0:2

regards

santhosh

[iinasprabhu]

Hi Santhosh,

All the command outputs are similar to your output. But esxcfg-vmhbadevs -q is not giving any information.

note: I am using SATA disk in my test work station.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu.

[Santhosh_vmware]

Hi Nagesh,

There are only limited SATA controllers supported by esx 3.5 ,earlier versions does not support at all.BTW what is the hardware you have ? .Refer to following guide

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/new_storage_features_3_5_v6.pdf for list of SATA supported controllers.

more info here

http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm

regards

santhosh

Message was edited by: Santhosh_vmware

[iinasprabhu]

Hello Santhosh,

I am using Esx Server3.0. Logically i dont have hba card in machine in this case will this SATA controller is acting as vmhba?

Sorry, I am troubling you.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu.

[Santhosh_vmware · Accepted solution]

Hi Nagesh ,

Np,If the SATA controller is supported it must be shown as vmhba,

for 3.0 there is no support for SATA,I would recommend using ISCSI for datastore using openfiler.

(http://www.xtravirt.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=75&func=fileinfo&id=18)

regards

santhosh

[iinasprabhu]

Hi Santhosh,

I have Installed one more ESX server3 we have 146GB3 and 72GB2 hard disks in our server. Can you please suggest me how can we utilize these 5 hard disks.

I have Installed ESX server3 in one 72GB hard disk. Can we club remaining 4 hard disks(146GB*3+72GB) and create a single storage space.

Waiting for your expertise guidence.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu.

[Santhosh_vmware]

Hi Nagesh,

Sol 1 : If you want all space to be in one datastore,click on existing datastore and keep adding extents till all the remaining 4 disks are done.

this method will allows you to use the existing datastore (hence the space on the first 72 GB disk ) which is created by default during the installation.

Sol 2: create a new datastore with first 146 GB disk and then add remaining three disks as extents .Sol1 and Sol2 is not a good idea if you are require good performance.

Sol3 : If you have a raid controller I would recommend to create RAID 0(at hardware level) with the four disks( I am not sure here whether controller will allow you to add 72 GB with 146 G disks) .Once you create a RAID ,ESX then will see a single disk of (3*146 + 72 ) GB.

regards

santhosh

[jhanekom]

Just my 2c worth on RAID configuration: RAID0 is hardly ever appropriate in an enterprise environment (which is where you usually find ESX.)

With 3x 146GB and 2x 72GB disks, the most common configuration is to configure the 2x 72GB disks as a RAID1 set and the 3x 146GB disks as a separate RAID5 set.

[iinasprabhu]

Santhosh, Jhanekom,

Thank you very much for the solns. Sorry please dont mind as i am learning this setup. Can you please let me know the procedure for configuring RAID0 or RAID5.

Can I make 146GB*3=420GB into one single datastore? I dont have any problem If 72GB is not utilized.

regards,

Nagesh Prabhu

[jhanekom]

As per Santhosh's post, you need a hardware RAID controller to make use of RAID setups. ESX does not provide software RAID services.

[Santhosh_vmware]

Hi Nagesh,

What is server make you have,either DELL or HP ? .for example HP while the server is booting you will get option to press F8(or F5) for array configuration utility,once you enter in to that utility you have menu driven interface /easy to configure RAID.

you can make 146*3 in a single datastore for RAID 0

for RAID 5 the effective space you get is 146*2 ,since one equivalent disk space is for parity info.

regards

santhosh