add additional vDisk to a VM, is this another VM or just storage??

[tlyczko]

Hello,

We are planning an ESX Starter install at my agency and I am researching various topics.

I know that in Workstation I can create another disk to add to, say, a Windows XP VM, is the process the same for ESX??

Basically I'll set up a C:\ drive Win2k3 Server template and then add disks as their D:\ drives for installing software and their relevant data.

Is the extra disk considered another VM or is it just considered usage of storage in the VMFS file system??

Thank you, Tom

[cheeko · Accepted solution]

This would be just another disk file (vmdk file) for a VM (vmx file).

Just as if you'd plug in another drive into a physical Server/PC.

cheeko

[gogogo5]

When you add an additional virtual hard disk you are creating another vmdk file which will be located (by default) in the same location (folder) as your VM.

That vmdk file, like your C drive will have its space pre-allocated in creation.

[tlyczko]

Thanks for clarifying this. Starter has some restrictions on it so I am being careful. Thank you, Tom

[oreeh]

is the process the same for ESX??

the process is almost the same, even the look and feel is similar

Is the extra disk considered another VM or is it just considered usage of storage in the VMFS file system??

no it's just another VMDK file in the VMs folder

[cheeko]

Ok. Good always good to know it before ...

But Starter is not restricted in the number of VMs and/or disk files you can create or run. It's basically the storage (no SAN shared with other ESX hosts), the memory (up to 8GB) and the CPUs (up to 4) that are restricted.