Temporarily disconnect a VMFS data store?

[PacketRacer]

So, here's the situation I'm faced with:

We have to reboot a storage array hosting 12 VMFS datastores. I have a sizable cluster with hosts running 3.5 U4 (bld 153875). All host are on the same version. All hosts can see the 12 datastores.

The plan is to shut down all VMs running these data stores (a few critical ones are being SVmotioned to another SAN array). Then we're going to reboot the array and hope that the hosts won't notice a thing during the 3-4 min when the datastores will be offline.

Will that work? As long as there is no access to the data stores, should I expect any issues?

Also, is there a way to "disconnect" (not remove) a datastore so that I won't have to worry about what happens to the hosts?

FYI, this is a Fibre Channel array... No iSCSI in the picture at all.

[AWo]

The plan is to shut down all VMs running these data stores (a few critical ones are being SVmotioned to another SAN array). Then we're going to reboot the array and hope that the hosts won't notice a thing during the 3-4 min when the datastores will be offline.

And if they notice anything, that's no problem as long as no VM on that VMGFS stores is active.

Will that work? As long as there is no access to the data stores, should I expect any issues?

Yes. No.

Also, is there a way to "disconnect" (not remove) a datastore so that I won't have to worry about what happens to the hosts?

Disable the FC port in the FC switch.

AWo

VCP 3 & 4

Author @ vmwire.net

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[PacketRacer]

Thanks! VMware support recommended a slight more involved procedure, where I unpresent the LUNs first, then I run a rescan on all hosts... Then I reboot, present again, rescan again.

I wish I had a lab to try this out first!