How to configure local disk in ESX server

[pankaj_rudrawar]

Hello,

I have DELL Poweredge 1850 Server with ESX server. I have local hard disk with 18 GB space. Out of available space for creating any Virtual machine.

I want to configure other VMFSHBA which were not configured at the time of installation.

VMFSHBA0:0:0:3 is allocated and having free capacity of 9 GB.

Can anyone guide me how to configure VMFSHBA0:0:0:0 to VMFSHBA0:0:0:7 in ESX server.

[ponpalani2001]

Hi,

I suppose you can do through

1. fdisk from service console, But be sure to have a backup up before proceeding

Thanks

[TomHowarth]

fdisk /dev/sda

1. Enter p
   to print the present partition table
   Enter n
   to create a new partition
   For example, let us assume that we are creating a new
   partition number 1.
   Enter t
   to change the partition type to FB,
   the type for a VMFS3
   Enter w
   to save the partition to disk

you now have a new partition.

next enter the command vmfstools -C vmfs3 -b<block size> -S <desired logical name> vmhba0:0:0:<partition number>

Block size is 1m = 256Gb max VMDK size

2m = 512GB max VMDK size

4m = 1024GB max VMDK size

8m = 2042GB max VMDK size.

therefore to create a new VMFS3 partiion in the 8th partition on the local storage with a name of ESX01-Local_Storage and the ability to create a 512GB VMDK

you would enter the following

vmfstools -C VMFS3 -b 2m -S ESX01-Local_Storage vmhba0:0:0:8

I hope this helps

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[pankaj_rudrawar]

Hello,

I have attached the output of fdisk -l along with this post.

I have few below queries about this before going ahead with your exercise which you posted in your last response.

1. What is LINUX,LINUX SWAP partitions, their use, ellaborate more please?

2. Which one of them is boot partitions so that I can other partition for VMFS?

Regards,

Pankaj

[ponpalani2001]

Hi,

Check these threads

http://communities.vmware.com/message/815441#815441

http://communities.vmware.com/message/769262#769262

Thanks

[TomHowarth · Accepted solution]

from looking at the partition table from Fdisk -l it looks like you already have a local VMFS partition on /dev/sda3 this is shown by the label fb.

in this case if you have no infomation in that partition

you can just issue the command vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -b <block size> -S <storage name> vmhba0:0:0:3 this will format the partition with the desired label and blocksize.

for your infomation the following partitions are

/dev/sda1 =your boot partition this is shown by the fact it has a * under the boot column

/dev/sda2 = is a linux EXT3 partition

/dev/sda3 is a VMFS partition as shown by the fb in the ID column

/dev/sda4 is a extened partition as you can only have four physical partitions.

/dev/sda5 is is yor VMCore partition as shown by the label fc in the ID column.

/dev/sda6 is your linux swap partition

/dev/sda7 is a EXT3 linux partition

issue a vdf -h to see which mount points are assigned to what partitions. you use vdf rather than df as vdf will show you the VMware specific volumes as well as the linux ones.

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[pankaj_rudrawar]

One more thing........Can I create VMFS partition on SDA2,4,5,7. Does this will create any problem?

[TomHowarth]

One more thing........Can I create VMFS partition on SDA2,4,5,7. Does this will create any problem?

in a word yes it will create problems. you will bring your ESX server crashing about around your ears. 'NIX's are not as forgiving as Windows. sda2 is my well be your /root, sda4 may be /var/logs and 5 /vmimages etc. removing these and reformating them as VMFS will cause issues. this is not a windows environment Linux uses the concept of mount points to load partitions as folders in the enviroment.

just because your type ls or ll when you are at the root of your enviroment does not mean that every thing is in the same partition.

when you do a cd /root logically you will move to /root but physically you will have moved to /dev/sda3 or what ever. therefore never delete partitions willy nillie. it is safe to delete the partition marked fb only if there is no data in it.

I hope this clears up some issues for you

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator