Adding a new datastore

[adamhodgkins]

Hi all,

We have a new VM environment that has Direct Attached Storage connected to the ESX host using SAS. I have gone to add a datastore to the host and it can see the device fine, but there is a problem.

It is showing that the capacity is 3.64TB, but it is only showing that 1.64TB is available..... this storage is completely blank and has not been partitioned or formatted in any way. In the 'Add Storage' window it is also saying:

There is only one layout configuration available. Use the next button to proceed with the other wizard pages.

How can I add the entire capacity to the system instead of just a portion of it?

Thanks

Adam

[RvdNieuwendijk]

The maximum size of a LUN you can present to an ESX server is 2 TB. So you should split the 3.64TB into 2 smaller LUN's. See Maximum supported LUN size for more information.

Regards, Robert

[adamhodgkins]

Hi Robert,

I thought as much.... how come it is only showing as having 1.64TB allowed? I thought the max was 2TB minus 512MB?

Also, is there any way of configuring the LUNs through ESX? If I add a datastore with the maximum it is telling me, then try and add another one after will the remaining space be there to add? It is a Dell MD3000 unit.

Thanks

Adam

[RvdNieuwendijk]

Hi Adam,

I don't know why it is only showing as having 1.64TB allowed. But I have heard more that it is subtracting 2 TB from the actual size if the actual size is over 2 TB. I would suggest that you change the 3.64 TB disk on you storage to two 1.82 TB disks and then present two LUN's to the ESX servers. This can't be done from the ESX server itself.

Regards, Robert

[adamhodgkins]

Ah right, OK.

This infrastructure is on a remote site so I don't have direct access to it. I'm not sure if I can get access to it to be able to reconfigure it (I'm assuming it will have a management NIC or something similar.....), what would the implications be if I formatted and used the partition as ESX is showing me now, then tried to reconfigure it later?

Thanks

Adam

[RvdNieuwendijk]

I have never tried it but I think the implications of starting to use the partition as ESX is showing you now, is that you lose 2 TB now. And that you have to move everything from the datastore to another datastore before you can reconfigure it later. For that you need to have enough free space on another datastore.