Datastore / Disk setup for vSphere 5.5 initial host

[indisahota]

I am about to setup a HP DL380 G7 server with 8 x 1.2TB disks with RAID 6, allowing approx.. 6TB usable local attached storage. I have 2 other like-for-like servers currently in use for Exchange/ Hyper-V. The plan is to eventually buy a SAN and move away from local storage, virtualise exchange (new server and migrate mailboxes) and convert hyper-v guests to VMware guests offline – and reuse the existing kit. I have 2 physical file servers that I’d like to consolidate as a new vguest on the host – approx. data required will be 4TB for users to access.

The current physical file servers run on a HP DL180 G6, which I am planning to beef up and use for VEEAM and Symantec Backup Exec (if they are able to co-exist) and a HP DL165 G7 which I am debating to reuse as a physical vCenter server (if the kit is good enough) or to virtualise as a guest system on the initial host.

My question is – How should I set up the disks? Am I able/should I consider a single datastore of approx. 6TB, which I can then split with separate vdisks as required for each guest? Or should I create separate datastores with one specifically for the file server data – if this will help migrate over to a SAN later perhaps? Am I right in thinking there is no longer a 2TB cap on datastores if I run version 5.5?

I have (vaguely) mapped out how I think the disks will be arranged on the datastore below - please can someone help and confirm if I'm on the right path here or suggest a better solution?

Thanks for your help in advance - it really is appreciated.

VM’s	.	vDisk
New Exchange	C:	85
.	E:	768
Legacy server	C:	45
.	.	.
Print Server	C:	45
.	.	.
File Server (New)	C:	85
.	😧	4096
.	.	.
File Server (old)	C:	69
.	.	.
Space required	.	5193
.	.	.
Capacity	.	6144
.	.	.
Left over	.	951

[VRBitman]

With vSphere 5.5 you can create VMFS5 datastores (selected by default when launching the new datastore wizard). VMFS5 allows for datastores of up to 64TB, so the 2TB cap is no more.

The maximum .vmdk file size is 62TB, but clearly that won't be an issue for you.

You can definitely create a single datastore, put all VMs on that datastore (which vSphere automatically organizes into folders) and in the future, when the SAN will be in production, you will be able to create multiple shared datastores and efficiently manage storage space with Storage DRS.

[indisahota]

Thanks VR,

I have purchased VMware Essentials Kit, and will likely move to the Plus Kit when all three hosts are running with a SAN. This is so I can utilise VEEAM backup which I have also purchased. The file server requires a rebuild ASAP and so this is the main driver in moving along with a new virtual replacement. Is Storage DRS available on the Essentials kits?

[VRBitman]

Neither Essentials nor Essentials Plus include Storage DRS, unfortunately.

[ch1ta]

The current physical file servers run on a HP DL180 G6, which I am planning to beef up and use for VEEAM and Symantec Backup Exec (if they are able to co-exist) .

They will be able to co-exist; just make sure that they won't try to backup the same VM simultaneously. Otherwise, you're likely to have problems. Also, ensure that special guest application processing, such as log truncation, etc. is performed by one solution only, as I do remember cases when Symantec app-agent installed inside VM prevented VB&R from using its special Application Aware Image Processing functionality.

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers.