Objective 3.1 – Manage vSphere Storage Virtualization – Part 1

Objective Topics:

  • Discover new storage LUNs
  • Configure FC/iSCSI/FCoE LUNs as ESXi boot devices
  • Create an NFS share for use with vSphere
  • Enable/Configure/Disable vCenter Server storage filters
  • Configure/Edit hardware/dependent hardware initiators
  • Enable/Disable software iSCSI initiator
  • Configure/Edit software iSCSI initiator settings
  • Configure iSCSI port binding
  • Enable/Configure/Disable iSCSI CHAP
  • Determine use cases for fiber channel zoning
  • Compare and contrast array thin provisioning and virtual disk thin provisioning

Discover new storage LUNs

I’ve already configured my storage. That includes my LUNs, storage network, access restrictions and multi-pathing. Assuming that’s all been done correctly and you’re adding new storage. You need to just specify your target with the proper IP or FQDN and port and then rescan your HBA devices as shown below.

discover new luns


Configure FC/iSCSI/FCoE LUNs as ESXi boot devices

I will come back to this one later. I don’t have access to Fiber Channel in my lab environment


 

Create an NFS share for use with vSphere

Assuming the NFS share/export has been configured properly.

Let’s get started…

nfs1

Select desired NFS version

nfs2

Complete the blanks (Datastore name, folder, Server).

Note: make sure you put a / slash at the beginning of the folder path or mounting will fail.

nfs3

New datastore added.

nfs4

If you want to mount the NFS datastore to all your hosts in the cluster. Right click on the NFS datastore and select ‘Mount Datastore to Additional Hosts’.

nfs5

Select Hosts to add Datastore to.

nfs6

Verify.

nfs7


 

Enable/Configure/Disable vCenter Server storage filters

There are 4 types of storage filters

  1. VMFS Filters (config.vpxd.filter.vmfsFilter)
  2. RDM Filters (config.vpxd.filter.rdmFilter)
  3. Same Host & Transport Filters (config.vpxd.filter.SameHostAndTransportsFilter)
  4. Host Rescan Filters (config.vpxd.filter.hostRescanFilter)

To  enable/Configure/Disable Storage Filters.

storage_filters


 

Enable/Disable software iSCSI initiator

Select host, manage tab, storage tab, storage adaption options, select initiator. Scroll down and ‘disable’ or enable if initiator is already created.

storage_ad_disable_enable

 


 

Configure/Edit software iSCSI initiator settings

Most of the settings for the iSCSI initiator can be found in this section.

storage_ad_settings1


Configure iSCSI Port Bindings

I’ve already completed this section prior to this study guide. But the short of it is, is that you will want to make sure you map a single vmkernal to a single NIC (if you have multiple, which you should for redundancy). You can do this by placing 1 NIC active and the other one as inactive. Do the opposite for the second vmkernal port. Once completed, you can bind your vmkernal ports to your Uplinks. See below.

 

iscsi_portbinding2

iscsi_portbinding1


 

The rest of Objective 3.1 can be found HERE.

 

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