Vsan cluster Configuration settings -7.0.3

[AjayNTalakad]

Hello Team,

I hope you are doing great today!!

I need help with vSAN cluster configuration in vSphere Client version 7.0.3.01400. I have followed some videos & guides but could not configure the vSAN. As I am new to this vSAN configuration requesting the step-by-step guide.

I have 5 servers of Supermicro in that I have below HDDs

1st server 6TBX4 done hardware RAID-5 configuration = got space 16.25TB (installed ESXi 7.0 Update 3)

2nd server 6TBX4 done hardware RAID-5 configuration = got space 16.25TB (installed ESXi 7.0 Update 3)

3rd server 6TBX4 done hardware RAID-5 configuration = got space 16.25TB (installed ESXi 7.0 Update 3)

4th server 6TBX4 done hardware RAID-5 configuration = got space 16.25TB (installed ESXi 7.0 Update 3)

5th server 6TBX4 done hardware RAID-5 configuration = got space 16.25TB (installed ESXi 7.0 Update 3)

when I configure the New Cluster "Cluster Basic & ADD hosts" Successfully configured.- Pic attached.

But in the ADD hosts, "SCSI controller is VMware certified" (used by vSAN =NO) pic attached.

In Configure Cluster - configuration - Claim disks - No disk is visible. -Pic attached

due to this I am unable to configure vSAN can anyone help me with this 

Thanks & Regards

Ajay. NT

[TheBobkin]

"1st server 6TBX4 done hardware RAID-5 configuration = got space 16.25TB (installed ESXi 7.0 Update 3)"

@AjayNTalakad, never RAID multiple devices on controller side and present this as 1 physical disk to be used for vSAN - this is completely unsupported and will at some point result in data-loss if used like this, reconfigure these as individual devices immediately (whether as Passthrough or individual RAID0 Virtual Devices, depends on which controller is in use and what vSAN HCL states should be the disk access mode for it).

[amohammadimir]

Maybe I didn't get it, did you configure your storage controller as Passthrough(HBA mode) or your disks RAID-0?

[AjayNTalakad]

@TheBobkin so your suggestion is to remove all HDD from RAID-5 and then follow the below step.

Step -1 Remove RAID-5

Step 2 Install ESXi in one of the 6TB that is 1st HDD & give the name (datastore01)

Step 3 rename other 3 HDDs as 2nd HDD as datastore02, 3rd HDD as datastore03, 3rd HDD as datastore04

Step 4 configure the cluster then I can see all the HDDs.

So above steps do I need to follow?

Thanks & regards

Ajay. NT

[AjayNTalakad]

@amohammadimir I have configure RAID-5 as a single drive not a RAID-0

[amohammadimir]

it doesn't work that way. you need to configure your storage controller as HBA mode if it is possible or configure each disk as a RAID 0.

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/53573

[AjayNTalakad]

@amohammadimir thanks for the document. let me go through the suggested steps and update you. 

[amohammadimir]

I also suggest you to read vSAN design guide:

https://core.vmware.com/resource/vmware-vsan-design-guide

[TheBobkin]

@AjayNTalakad "Step 3 rename other 3 HDDs as 2nd HDD as datastore02, 3rd HDD as datastore03, 3rd HDD as datastore04" - what do you mean by "rename"? Are you claiming these as VMFS datastores? If yes, then don't do that, vSAN cannot claim any disk that already has partitions on them (be they VMFS or any other partition type).

Deal with the RAID5 on controller part first, lookup the controller model on the vSAN HCL to confirm whether they should be as passthrough devices or individual (e.g. 1 physical device per VD) RAID0 VDs.

[AjayNTalakad]

@TheBobkin & @amohammadimir thank you so much for your help and understanding me the vSAN Pre-request steps.

as I need another 2 SSD to perform this request. 

thank you so much for your time and support.

have a nice day 

Thanks & Regards

Ajay. NT