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mdfields
Contributor
Contributor

Virtual Machines and FC Tape Library

I have a Dell TL2000 Tape Library that is zoned with my ESX servers in a Fiber SAN. The ESX servers can see the Library fine from the Linux San Surfer CLI. I would like to allow the virtual OS's (Windows) to see the Library as well. When I am in the VC Client and try to add a device to a VM, I am confused on what I should be adding. The only one that makes some sense would be a SCSI device, but it says there are no "none disk" SCSI devices available. Plus, it is not a SCSI Tape Drive; it is a FC Drive.

Has anyone been able to add a FC Tape Drive to a VM?

Thanks

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patrickds
Expert
Expert

You cannot connect a Fibre channel device to a VM, since there is no virtual fibre adapter to be added.

The only way to connect a backup device to a VM would be SCSI passthrough.

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mdfields
Contributor
Contributor

Is there a way to trick VMWare into thinking a FC device is a SCSI device instead?

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patrickds
Expert
Expert

Not that i know of.

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Frederic-GUYON
Contributor
Contributor

Spoiler
Same problem, Storage adapter see my device "IBM Fibre Channel Tape (naa.2001000e11167f48)" and "IBM Fibre Channel Medium Changer (t10.IBM_____35732DTL_________00X2U78BM270_LL0)" but How to make a link to the VM ? 

RDM Disk not work
SCSI Controler not work
PCI Device not possible
SATA controler not work
NVMe controler not work

How to, sure is possible to affect device through storage adpter fiber but how. Advance options in ESXi, modifying what ?
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