NAS for VM Storage

[mordzy]

Hello All..

I have done a search and need some questions clarifying.

Im building a low cost VM setup for proof of concept. i have 10 machines to virtualise. i have 3 dell 1u server which i will install ESX to (my cluster)

I have a 2850 dell with a raid1 array (boot os) and a raid5 array to which i plan to store the VM's on.

we have no SAN availible so my plan is to use the 2850 as a NAS unit. however im not 100% sure which NAS OS to use. i have windows storage server but there are a number of options i have seen while searching so would like some pointers and suggestions.

I know there will be performance reduction using NAS but this is for proof of concept.

suggestions so far to run on the 2850.

Fedora Core 4

Windows Storage Server

FreeNAS (Based on BSD)

I have also heard of people saying to install a base OS (windows) then install a iSCSI program ontop to access the disk array?

Thanks for you help and suggestions in advance

Alex

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the forums - ESX really does not care what type of NAS is presenting the NFS share as long is at meets these requirements:

1. You are running NFS Version 3 over TCP

2. The ESX Servers have root level access to the NFS share = often referred to as setting the no_root_squash parameter

3. A vmkernel port configured that can reach the IP address of the NAS device

I have had student and clients who have used all three things you mentioned to provide NAS/NFS storage - you can also use an open source device line OpenFiler that will present an iSCSI target and then take advantage of iSCSI software intiator that is part of ESX -

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[mordzy]

thanks for that.

my main concirn is that some of the linux distros may not support the hardware in the server.

i did find this

which enables me to make an iSCSI volume - perahps this is the way to go.

http://www.learnfreenas.com/index.php

[vmroyale]

Hello. I'll throw in another mention of OpenFiler. I've installed it on some really old desktop hardware, and it worked fine. A 2850 should be no problem.

Its really simple to get up and running and will allow you to focus on better things than getting your storage to work.

Good Luck!

[mordzy]

thanks guys,

i will give these both a go tomorrow and post back my findings

thanks again

[mordzy]

just something els related to the NAS. sould i also use this storage to hold documents from the virtualised file server? or would you keep the files within the VM ?

i guess for universal access and ease of backup it should all be on the NAS? just wondered what you would normally do. perhaps split the array in two. one for VM one for Shared files.