Set 2 disk for vm from different data store

[Franks_Asta]

Hello, 

Hope you all doing fine. 

I have this scenario, I have a unity 380xt, with dae attached.,

So I have 2 data store, 1 from dpe, the 2 from dar. So I need to install a windows vm 2019 to act as file server, this vm should have  2 disk 1 from dpe and the second from dae. 

Is possible to extend the capacity of the disk with diskpartion of windows server 2019 , mean mix the 2 disk (dpe and dae)??? 

Thanks in advance 

Regards, 

Franks

[a_p_]

I'm kind of confused of how the Unity is configured. You'd usually set up the Unity with a single pool which - depending on which drives are used - multiple tiers. Can you please explain how the Unity pool configuration looks like?

I also don't exactly understand what exactly you mean with "mix the 2 disks"!?
You can of course add multiple virtual disks from different LUNs/datastores (presented from the Unity) to a VM. However, joining these virtual disks from within the guest OS by e.g. creating a dynamic disk is - at least in my opinion - not a good idea.

André

[Franks_Asta]

Hi André,

First thank you for your reply. 

Actually the unity have a dpe with 8 TB of performance pool, and connected to dae that have 8TB capacity pool. 

The VM configuration files which is a windows server 2019 are installed in the performance pool called lun perf, the disk of the VM VMDK with 7TB installed in the dae (capacity pool) lun capacity. Note that the dae have a 24 TB, but we create a lun with 7 TB for the VM. 

Both pools are shared to the 3 esxi hosts. 

So for now the disk is well accessible for the vm, this vm will act as a file server. 

Actually I don't know how the dynamic disk work and how to configured it? 

Sorry for the confusing, I mean if I add a disk from the dpe and a second disk from the dae, can I combine the 2 disks to have a one partions in the windows server 2019? 

Thanks again André. 

Regards,

Franks

[a_p_]

Although this may be possible from a pure technical point of view, it's definitely nothing that you want to do. Combining disk space from different tiers to a single guest OS partition will most likely cause issues/headaches.

Why - if you allow me to ask - didn't you setup the Unity with a single tiered pool. Doing it this way allows to create LUNs, and specify the data placement (tiering) for each single LUN directly on the storage. Is the Unity new, or is it already in production with both pools in use?

André

[Franks_Asta]

Hi André, 

Thank you for your quick response. 

Please be informed that the unity is in production.  I can't configure the a unity with a single pool, because the dae have nl sas drives so it's capacity pool connected to the dpe that have sas drives

Hope this useful for you. 😇

Secondly, the information of combining disk from different luns/tires/pool to a single guest is is useful so I will avoid that. 

Regards, 

Franks

[a_p_]

>>> I can't configure the a unity with a single pool, because the dae have nl sas drives ...
Why not? The Unity allows to create pools with multiple tiers ("Extreme Performane" = SSD, "Performance" = SAS and "Capacity" = NL-SAS). I've setup multiple Unity as well as VNX storage systems that way.
Anyway, since the pools are already in use, you cannot simply reconfigure the Unity.

André

[Franks_Asta]

Hi André,

i understand what you meean now, yes its already configured with 2 pools, 1 performance for live VM in production the DPE Have 7TB, the second one is the DAE capacity with NL Sas drives LUN size 8TB  has windows server disk vmdk 7TB designated for storing files and  also partitioned on the windows with 7TB.(so the disk seen by windows i meean ).

Regards,

Franks