add external(USB) SSD to vSAN disk group?

[jerry5]

I am new to vSan concept and practice.

I got a question on vSan configuration:

• Can I add external SSD (attached with USB) to vSAN disk group?
•  (screenshot-1:  one ESXI host has external SSD (attached with USB)
• (screenshot-2:  external SSD is not available for vSAN disk group)

Thanks!

(For reference, I attached two screenshots)   

[TheBobkin]

@jerry5 You may be able to mark it as a local disk to allow claiming it for vSAN use, do note however that this sort of thing should only be done in homelab as it is not supported.

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/6.7/com.vmware.vsphere.virtualsan.doc/GUID-DB758C7C-C58A-4...

[jerry5]

Thanks Bobkin: yes, I am playing a homelab of vSAN.

Now I got a chicken-and-egg question:

* In order to turn on vSAN, I need to add the usb-SSD to disk-group.

* But in order to add the usb-SSD to disk-group, I need to turn on vSAN (so that I can go inside to mark it as "local")

Any solution? 

[TheBobkin]

@jerry5 Odd, got no email alert on this update.

Anyway, you should be able to set the claim rules for that device to be marked as local using esxcli, example here:

http://www.vfrank.org/2013/03/21/mark-a-disk-as-ssd-and-local-in-esxi-5-x/