ESXi 7.0 usb drive not visible on host

[netbloke]

We want to backup files from the ESXi datastore to a 4TB USB drive, currently formatted NTFS. The file of greatest interest is a vmdk of 3.2TB; we assumed a local copy would be best.

With the drive inserted it is visible in lsusb but apparently not otherwise accessible.

Stopping the USB arbitrator had no effect and research says connecting the USB to VM requires a reboot (may not be relevant) and using a usb as a datastore is not advisable.

Is it feasible to use a USB for a simple file copy (not as a datastore)? If so how, what are the missing steps?

It is preferable to perform this copy because the drive is already installed and we don't currently have any network copy destinations large enough. Due to WFH any plan B will involve travel.

ESXi version 7.0.0

[continuum · Accepted solution]

ESXi can use VMFS and FAT filesystem.
If you dont use the USB as a datastore and try to format the disk as fat and try to copy a tb-size vmdk you will acchieve one thing only: waste time

Actually the idea of using a USB-drive to backup directly from ESXi is also a waste of time.
Use that USB-drive connected to your admin-host and use winscp or similar.

[netbloke]

Thank you for the confirmation *prepares for a trip to the office*

I formatted the drive NTFS as I knew that FAT would be no use; I briefly considered if it needed to be vmfs but figured NTFS would do and be more widely usable, plus I knew I didn't want a datastore.

I'll mark this as the correct answer so others can find it quickly.

[xukang1]

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2065934?lang=en_us

look this kb