is it possible to virtualize a server with Tape drive

[ronaldoxxx]

Hi all,

Is it possible to virtualize a server which connected with Tape drive?

regards,

[Texiwill · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Yes but you have to handle where the tape device will live. You can use a FC tape device or a Local to ESX host tape device. If you use local then you must have an adaptec SCSI card within your host. Not a RAID card.

You will lose performance, and vMotion capability if you use local attached.

To do either you must add a SCSI Generic device to the VM in question that points to the tape device where ever it is.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[balazsgati]

Hi,

How can i configure the fibre attached drive into the VM ? Is it possible to give an fibre attached drive into the VM?

As far as i know, i have to give the tape drive to ESX first, and ESX give the tape to VM further. Am i right ?

Thanks

Balazs

[Texiwill]

Hello,

As far as i know, i have to give the tape drive to ESX first, and ESX give the tape to VM further. Am i right ?

This is correct. However, you can use VMotion with this by simply disconnecting the tape device and re-adding it once you moved the VM. When you have a physical connection you have to also move the physical SCSI cable, etc.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

SearchVMware Blog: http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/virtualization-pro/

Blue Gears Blogs - http://www.itworld.com/ and http://www.networkworld.com/community/haletky

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[dmn0211]

Here is some good information about connecting FC tape drive to a vm on ESX.

http://www.boche.net/blog/?p=115