The document provides information about configuring shared storage for vSphere, including identifying storage devices and naming conventions, iSCSI initiator requirements, array thin provisioning vs virtual disk thin provisioning, zoning and LUN masking practices, and creating and configuring VMFS and NFS datastores. It also covers configuring the vSphere Storage Appliance, including the architecture, deploying the VSA Manager, and administering VSA storage resources. Recommended guides and blogs for further reference are also provided.

1. VCP5 Brownbag
Section 3 – Plan and Configure
vSphere Storage

2. “Tools” (Guides) Required for Section 3
• vSphere Installation and Setup guide
• vSphere Storage guide
• VMware vSphere Examples and Scenarios Guide
• VMware vSphere Storage Appliance Installation and Configuration
Guide
• VMware vSphere Storage Appliance Administration Guide
• VSA Manager
• vSphere Client
(below blogs are obviously not required/official VMware resource, but
recommended)
Jason Langer’s blog: http://virtuallanger.com/vcp5/
Andrea Mauro PDF: http://vinfrastructure.it/wp-
content/uploads/2011/12/VCP5-study-notes-EN-1.3.pdf
Mike Preston’s blog: http://blog.mwpreston.net/vcp-5/

3. Objective 3.1 – Configure Shared Storage
for vSphere
• Identify storage adapters and devices
Pg. 12 of Storage Guide → SCSI, iSCSI, RAID, FC, FCoE, Ethernet; Drivers are part of VMkernel
• Identify storage naming conventions
– Pg. 19 of Storage Guide; 3 types of Identifiers:
• SCSI INQUIRY Identifier → naa.number; t10.number; eui.number
• Path-based Identifier → mpx.path name (ex. mpx.vmhba1:C0:T1:L3)
• Legacy Identifier → Vml.number (# is unique to device)
• Identify hardware/dependent hardware/software iSCSI
initiator requirements (Pg. 65 of Storage Guide)
– Dependent Hardware: dependent on networking/iSCSI config & mgmt interface within
VMware; relies on host for IP/MAC network configuration
– Independent Hardware: implements OWN networking/iSCSI config & mgmt interface
– Software iSCSI → built into VMkernel; connection is done via host’s physical NIC

4. 3.1 Cont…
• Compare and contrast array thin provisioning and virtual disk
thin provisioning
– Virtual Disk Thin Provisioning (Pg. 183-185 of Storage Guide) – space is committed to
VMDK as it’s used, up to it’s allocated amount
– Array Thin Provisioning – See Pg. 186-189 of Storage Guide
• Describe Zoning and LUN masking practices: (Pg. 33-35 of Storage
Guide); access control to LUNs; Zone => HBA to Target; Masking => Host to LUN
• Scan/Rescan storage: (Pg. 124 of Storage Guide) vSphere Client (Demo)
• Identify use cases for FCoE: (Pg. 39 of Storage Guide)
– Use when able to support 10Gb Ethernet
– Use with current Datacenter Bridging (DCB) technologies
– Reduce host complexity (cable, offload)

5. 3.1 Cont…
• Create an NFS share for use with vSphere
– Dependent on device vendor
• Connect to a NAS device:
– vSphere Client (Demo)
• Enable/Configure/Disable vCenter Server storage filters:
– Pg. 125 of Storage Guide; enabled by default (Demo)
• Configure/Edit hardware/dependent hardware initiators:
– Pg. 71-74 of Storage Guide; vSphere Client
• Enable/Disable software iSCSI initiator:
– Pg. 74-75 of Storage Guide; vSphere Client (Demo)
• Configure/Edit software iSCSI initiator settings:
– Pg. 74-75 of Storage Guide; vSphere Client (Demo)

6. 3.1 Cont…
• Configure iSCSI port binding:
– Pg. 80; vSphere Client; adding VMkernel Port Group/Physical Adapter
to iSCSI Adapter
• Enable/Configure/Disable iSCSI CHAP:
– vSphere Client (Demo)
• Determine use case for hardware/dependent
hardware/software iSCSI initiator
– Different with each environment/org; budget
• Determine use case for and configure array thin
provisioning

7. Objective 3.2 – Configure the Storage
Virtual Appliance for vSphere
• Define vSphere Storage Virtual Appliance (VSA)
architecture
– SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 & set of clustering
services pkg’d in a virtual appliance
– See Diagram from VSA Install & Config Guide, pg. 9
(next slide) and from Deepdive whitepaper (2nd slide)
– 3-node cluster is the same, but with addt’l host

10. 3.2 Cont…
• Configure ESXi hosts as VSA hosts
– Host Sys Req’s on Pg. 21-24 VSA Install and Config Guide
– Pg. 26-30 of the Guide have detailed install procedures
• vCenter Server install => Pg. 31-33
• Configure the storage network for the VSA
– Pg. 40-41 cover this; I recommend reviewing blogs for ‘cleaner’ steps
• Deploy/Configure the VSA Manager
– Pg. 34-36 cover req’s; Pg. 36 covers Install; Pg. 39-44 covers Config
– Deepdive whitepaper:
http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/VM-vSphere-Storage-
Appliance-Deep-Dive-WP.pdf

11. 3.2 Cont…
• Administer VSA storage resources
– Done via VSA Manager tab (Memory, Maintenance, Pwd Chg, Netwk Chg, Monitor, etc.)
• Determine use case for deploying the VSA
– Geared towards SMBs with low budget (can’t purchase SAN)
• Determine the appropriate ESXi host
resources for the VSA
– This goes back to host requirements to an extent:
• Depends on environment
• Limited disks → 8 – 2TB drives configured in a RAID10
• No memory overcommittment
• 4-port NIC requirement

12. Objective 3.3 – Create & Configure VMFS
and NFS Datastores
• Identify VMFS & NFS Datastore properties
– Storage Guide reference: Pg. 114 for VMFS; Pg. 127 for NFS
– Datastore → logical container that hides physical storage specifics from VMs
• Identify VMFS5 capabilities
– Pg. 114-115
– Highlights → Up to 64TB Datastore; 1 standard block size (1MB); thin disk storage
reclamation; seamless VMFS upgrade with no host/VM disruption
• Create/Rename/Delete/Unmount a VMFS Datastore
– vSphere Client (Demo)
– Pg. 118-124 of Storage Guide discusses Creation, Deletion, Upgrading VMFS, etc.
• Mount/Unmount a NFS Datastore: Pg. 128-129 Storage Guide
• Extend/Expand VMFS Datastore: vSphere Client (Demo)
• Upgrade a VMFS3 Datastore to VMFS5: (see above, Pg. 121)

13. 3.3 Cont…
• Place a VMFS Datastore in Maintenance Mode
– vSphere Client (Demo)
• Select the Preferred Path for a VMFS Datastore
– vSphere Client (Demo)
• Disable a path to a VMFS Datastore
– vSphere Client (Demo)
• Determine use case for multiple VMFS/NFS
Datastores
• Determine the appropriate Path Selection Policy
(PSP) for a given Datastore