thin provisioning considerations

Similar Questions

• Thin Provisioning LUNS and virtual disks

  Hi all

  I recently came across a problem with our VMware View environment, where in vCenter about 20 of our virtual office message that there is no more space left. When I looked at the data warehouses that store with my clones related, they have both said more than 200 GB of free space.

  In an attempt to clarify the environment, but do not go off-topic, some of our pools view are configured to give each virtual desktop a disposable disc service end of 4 GB (Temp and swap files). I noticed that in vCenter, the question asked to VMware for more memory space pointed to these disposable disks.

  I was with the support of a few hours... on the side of EMC Clarion, LUN (which are thin provisioned) also showed full... but VMware support was able to create a 1 GB file on the data store that was full according to the Clarion.

  We sent EMC our papers and they were back and just said the table is fine, the LUN was out of space... but this does not explain to me why vSphere showed the LUN as having 200 GB free. EMC said they did not know and I need to talk with VMware. I'm confused, if the LUN was not always full, how we were able to create the 1 GB file on the data store?

  Curiously, all the desktop computers that do not have the disk of 4 GB disposable were very well... they had no problem. I'm almost thinking, perhaps disposable disc was full of temp and file exchange and that where this problem started, but I can't seem to be able to confirm that the 4 GB.

  Another thing is, began to be blocked on this data store, even if these virtual desktops, have been removed from the files. I'm unable to delete records in the data store. I know that I can restart the hosts to unlock, but let's just delete this store of data/lun individual completely.

  I was wondering if anyone has had similar problems or has any advice?

  Mike

  Teas because there are 2 parts of the area of thin provisioning.

  When you create a thin LUN on the side of the table, regardless of the size, it only * affects * about 1 GB (for Clariion).  Like many parts of this LUN if written, it allocates more.

  Now when you create an om VMFS file, unless you use eagerzeroedthick (which you're not), there still, not all these data in a 1 GB (10GB or other) is actually hit or written to the creation time.  Thus, the table side only sees (for example) hit 16 MB.  Now to delete some files on the side of VMFS.  The table does not know that those "affected" blocks are now free (because VMware doesn't have the ability to communicate that back to the table), so it independently as always in use.  As a result, you end up with a shift of how is used according to the table, and the file system.

  So now consider a 500 GB LUN, who think that the painting is "full", but said VMFS has 200 GB of free.  That 200 GB was probably written at a time in its history, then deleted.  Thus, full to the table, but not the file system.  When you create small files, VMFS is overwhelming the space previously used, which the Board considers acceptable, but as soon as you try to use the space that is not be 'recycled', it barfs, because its out of space on the backend.

• Thin provisioning alert

  Hello
  Is it possible to put an alarm on overuse datastore (Thin Provisioning)?
  Kind regards
  Ronald

  Hello Ronald.
  Space in metric data (Thin Provisioning) store service is not perceived by the current collector agent (I think that you will need to create a custom script agent to recover). Most likely will be available in the new version of the collector agent in the next version of vFogight.
  Concerning

• ESXI 5.1 "the disc is not thin-provisioned" after copying to the new data store vmdk

  I wanted to create an external backup as a 2nd VM ready-to-run on the 2nd data store.

  I've removed all snapshots, stop the machine virtual and exported the OVF file to a computer, adjusted to the size of the original virtual machine starts in Gparted to update the partition and restart. All very well.

  I then tried to deploy the OVF in the data store alternative (235GB slim, thickness according to the deployment of 250 Wizard). I tried both thick and thin but the error message "cannot deploy the OVF. The operation was cancelled by the user.

  I then manually downloaded the VMDK & OVF file to the 2nd data store and tried to inflate but then received the message "a specified parameter was not correct. The disc isn't thin provisioned. ».

  It seems I have dealing with the same thing, as this is the document here (http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vsphere/55/vsphere-vcenter-server-55u3-release-notes.html).  However, I have no idea what to do now... and I'm worried because it seems that my backup plan may not work if I can't restore an OVF/VMDK from a disk of visas.

  The solution to the first problem here: https://communities.vmware.com/message/2172950#2172950 that solved my problem 2nd too.

• Default MARVIN and Thin Provisioning storage policy

  Hello

  When you use the default storage of MARVIN to vSAN on our new Evo strategy, it seems that all VMs are thick provisioned, not thin.

  My question is, why has it chosen default thick provisioning provisioning method for the storage of MARVIN policy? My understanding of vSAN vanilla is that a provisioning is the default value. I plan to create a new storage for provisioning strategy, but first of all, I would like to understand if thick is preferred on the Evo and, if so, why?

  Thanks in advance.

  It's quite strange - because by default in Evo must be a provisioning is not thick...

  The Evo has to ship to the QEP with the same default values as VSAN. As the team of VSANS, we would recommend thin provisioning...

  Can you confirm that the policy is set to thick. Maybe a screenshot of the policy upgrade...?

  This could be a factory error, or maybe a change not verified by a rogue administrator?

  Can I ask who is the partner of QEP. It may be useful if you send (using posts here) what is Device Evo... (you'll find this under 'health' in the user interface of Evo, next to the health of system - ID is probably something like MAR12345604...

  Kind regards

  Mike

• How to recover free space on Thin provisioned VM

  Hello

  We are trying to recover the thin provisioned VMDK using below UNMAP commands on esxi5.5 update1 host but get error backup volume not supported for UNMAP and we can see that delete also not taken in charge and all status by checking the ATAS list his indicates that the plugin is not loaded we use IBM SVC (VMW_SATP_SVC VMW_PSP_FIXED placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  Let know us how to load the VMW_SATP_SVC plugin to the ESXi 5.5 update1 host and also suggest how to recover free space on thin provisioned VMs

  Here's the output of command, we checked and we suggest to conduct thorough on this

  **************************************************************************************************

  ~ # esxcli storage vmfs unmap-l NONPROD-DS01

  Backup volume 5390312 a-1f3a16fd-b578-5ef3fc1eb0bb devices do not support undo the MAPPING

  *************************************************************************************************

  *******************************************************************************************************

  ~ # esxcli central storage peripheral vaai situation get naa.60050768018105ced80000000 d

  CF 00010

  1. NAA.60050768018105ced8000000000010fc

  VAAI Plugin name:

  ATS status: supported

  Clone status: supported

  Zero status: supported

  Delete status: unsupported

  ********************************************************************************************************

  ********************************************************************************************************

  ~ # esxcli storage nmp ATAS list

  Description of default name PSP

  -------------------  -------------  --------------------------------------------                                                -----------

  Tables VMW_SATP_ALUA VMW_PSP_MRU nonspecific media that use the Protocol AL AU

  VMW_SATP_MSA VMW_PSP_MRU placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AP VMW_PSP_MRU placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_SVC VMW_PSP_FIXED placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_EQL VMW_PSP_FIXED placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_INV VMW_PSP_FIXED placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_EVA VMW_PSP_FIXED placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_ALUA_CX VMW_PSP_RR placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_SYMM VMW_PSP_RR placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_CX VMW_PSP_MRU placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  VMW_SATP_LSI VMW_PSP_MRU placeholder (not loaded plugin)

  Non-specific bays of VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA VMW_PSP_FIXED Supports active/active

  VMW_SATP_LOCAL VMW_PSP_FIXED direct support of connected devices

  ************************************************************************************************************************

  Hi friend

  I checked with the storage provider and they confirmed that the storage system (currently no products support midsize or SVC SCSI unmap commands used by space VAAI claim.)

• Thin Provisioning vs thick Provisioning

  Some users say they are not too Committee a disc thin provision.

  But I think that if they are not over - commit then how are they case using the benefits of provisioning. Instead why don't they use thick available?

  You guys agree with my opinion?

  I agree, if there is enough disk space, thin provisioning is basically no benefit to this transfer.

  André

• New-VM cmdlet always deploys "Thin-provisioned" VMs - need help

  Hi all

  I am at a total loss on this and spent several days trying to figure out what's wrong.  I'm deploying a new virtual machine from a template using PowerCLI version 5.1 Release 1.  The model is thin-set as all our models are, but when you specify my "New - VM" command, the resulting virtual machine always deploys as thin-provisioned even if I specify "thick".  Here is the command I use:

  PowerCLI C:\ > New-VM-model $templatename - $datastoreClustername - DiskStorageFormat EagerZeroedThick - $hostname - VMHost Datastore name $newVMname - location $foldername

  The above command returns the following error that 'EagerZeroedThick' is not a valid for the parameter - DiskStorageFormat option (although I see it clearly is done by "Get-Help-detailed New - VM")...:

  New - VM: 20/02/2014 12:09:18 new - the specified invalid VM storage format. Valid values are "Thin" and "thick".

  Online: 1 character: 7

  + New-VM < < < <-Template (model Get - Id VirtualMachine - vm - 1060) Datastore - Orion1_DSCluster - DiskStorageFormat EagerZeroe

  dThick - VMHost orion2esx01.cisco.com - name rcdn6-vm91-8-location "generic user (jstest).

  + CategoryInfo: InvalidArgument: (:)) [new-VM], InvalidArgument)

  + FullyQualifiedErrorId: Client20_VMServiceImpl_GetnerateCloneSpec_IvalidStorageFormat, VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmd

  lets.Commands.NewVM

  So I try the same command above, but this time by using 'thick ':

  PowerCLI C:\ > New-VM-model $templatename Datastore thick - VMHost $hostname - DiskStorageFormat - $datastoreClustername - name $newVMname - location $foldername

  The above command will successfully deploy a new virtual machine to the specified model, but the resulting virtual machine will always be Approvisionnés Thin rather than thick as I said...

  I have Google had the devil on this issue and did not happen to something that helps me...  I tried all the combinations of parameters, and the parameter order hoping that would be the thing without result.  As I said, I am at a complete loss and hope someone here can point me in the right direction.

  Sum, my 2 questions are:

  1. Why is EagerZeroedThick not considered as a valid option for the setting -DiskStorageFormat even if "Get-Help-detailed New - VM" clearly states that it is?  (I've seen a lot of example online of people using this option as well)
  2. Why the new virtual machine being deployed as a thin-put in service of the virtual machine, even if I specify thick for the setting -DiskStorageFormat of New - VM?

  It is a 1 vCenter/vSphere 5.1 update environment.

  Thanks in advance for your help.

  I finally received a response from the Vmware Support on this topic and thought I'd share it for anyone else running in this issue:

  VMware support:

  "I confirmed and discovered that it is a bug that is already running of our public relations team that suits him.

  And confirmed that this will be fixed in the next major release of VMware CLI power.

  And now, there is no ETA for it but I think would it as well as ESXi 5.5 U1 version but I can't confirm it. »

• Save space on the disc thin provision

  Hello.

  I have a virtual machine that has thin provisioned N. 3 disks:

  • 1-> provisioned size 20 GB
  • 2nd-> size 3 GB provisioned
  • 3-> provisioned size 20 GB

  If I look on the use of the storage on the server ESXi 5 (VI client) I see this:

  

  But if I connect on the virtual computer, I see this:

  

  With a simple calculation, I don't see that really used on the virtual machine storage size is only (20 - 8,64) + (3-0, 746) + (20 - 5,46) = 28,15 GB.

  Very different 40,48 GB storage used .

  The question is:

  is it possible to reclaim unused storage space?

  In other words: is it possible to align the "storage used" showed on the resources of the ESXi server to that actually used from the VM?

  Thanks in advance.

  You can use vmkfstools with the option ofpunchzero to recover the disk space of the thin configured virtual disks. To do this, you must first set to zero unused space within the OS itself invited, then turn off the virtual machine and run the vmkfstools command.

  André

• Shrink a thin provisioned VMDK

  I have a VMDK thin provisioned is 500 GB. The real Windows Partition is only 150 GB. I would change the VMDK disk 150 GB thick put into service. What is the best way for me to go on this?

  If you prefer GUI, then use the converter otherwise vmkfstools is a powerful CLI command.

• Thin provisioned VMDK consume all available space

  Hello

  • Server: Win 2008 R2 with SP1 (file server)
  • Storage: VMDK on VMFS5 datastore (thin provisioned), which underlies the SAN fiber storage
  • vSphere: vCenter Server Standard 5, ESXi 5.0 Patch 2 (build 515841)

  ... So, I have a VM file server running Windows 2008 R2 with SP1.  The system (c) partition has been successfully thin (VMDK using 13 GB to 40 GB).

  However, for all subsequent hard disks virtual created on the server, the NTFS partition is very slow to get into shape - and the actual size of the VMDK creeps slowly up to the size of the VHD (you can see the gradual rise of the VMDK size in the browser to store data during the formatting process).

  The VMFS data store that we create new virtual hard disks is version 5.  All virtual machines with virtual hard disks on VMFS version 3 seem to be supplied thin OK.

  Nobody knows what could happen here?

  Hello

  Do you use quick format?

  Otherwise, your score will take up any space. Check here:VMware KB: using thin provisioned disks with virtual machines

  "If a guest operating system needs to use a virtual disk, the must invited first operating system partition and format the drive in a file system it can recognize." Depending on the format selected in the guest operating system, the format can cause the disc thin provisioned in full size.

  For example, if you have a drive end with a Microsoft Windows operating system implemented and format the drive, unless you explicitly choose to fast formatting, Microsoft Windows format tool written information to all sectors on the disk, which in turn inflates the disc thin provisioned in full size. "

  Kind regards

  Julien.

• Backup errors with backup of thin provisioned disks on ESXi 5.1

  Hello

  I try to set up a backup solution for two servers in ESXi 5.1. (free version).

  I have installed and configured the ghettoVCB successfully and everything seems to be ok.

  However, when I start to create a backup, the process would end with an error :-(

  It didn't matter if the server is enabled or disabled, I get the same result.

  All data warehouses are local, 2 x free WD500GB with plenty of space.

  There is no snapshot, anything that could (in my eyes) prevent a good backup.

  The server works perfectly, when turned on.

  I'd appreciate any useful comment. Thanks in advance! The log is attached.

  / vmfs/volumes/519fceb8-3d39150e-2D0F-001999eeb339/ghettoVCB-Master #./ghettoVCB.sh f vms_to_backup
  Recording output to ' / tmp/ghettoVCB-2013-05-25_20-56-28-324192.log '...
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: = ghettoVCB NEWSPAPER BEGIN =.

  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VERSION = 2013_01_11_0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - GHETTOVCB_PID = 324192
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_BACKUP_VOLUME/vmfs/volumes/backup/ghettoBackups =
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_BACKUP_ROTATION_COUNT = 3
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_BACKUP_DIR_NAMING_CONVENTION = 2013-05-25_20-56-28
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - DISK_BACKUP_FORMAT = thin
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - POWER_VM_DOWN_BEFORE_BACKUP = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - ENABLE_HARD_POWER_OFF = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - ITER_TO_WAIT_SHUTDOWN = 3
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - POWER_DOWN_TIMEOUT = 5
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - SNAPSHOT_TIMEOUT = 15
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - LOG_LEVEL = info
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - BACKUP_LOG_OUTPUT = /tmp/ghettoVCB-2013-05-25_20-56-28-324192.log
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - ENABLE_COMPRESSION = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_SNAPSHOT_MEMORY = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_SNAPSHOT_QUIESCE = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - ALLOW_VMS_WITH_SNAPSHOTS_TO_BE_BACKEDUP = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VMDK_FILES_TO_BACKUP = all
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_SHUTDOWN_ORDER =
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - VM_STARTUP_ORDER =
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info: CONFIG - EMAIL_LOG = 0
  2013-05-25 20:56:29 - info:
  2013-05-25 20:56:35 - info: start the backup for server W2003
  Destination disk format: thin provisioned VMFS
  Cloning disk ' / vmfs/volumes/519fceb8-3d39150e-2d0f-001999eeb339/w2003-server (2) 2/w2003 Server _1.vmdk'...
  Clone: 36% of fact.
  2013-05-25 20:59:34 - info: ERROR: error in the backup of "/ vmfs/volumes/519fceb8-3d39150e-2d0f-001999eeb339/w2003-server (2) 2/w2003 Server _1.vmdk ' to W2003 Server
  Destination disk format: thin provisioned VMFS
  Cloning disk ' / vmfs/volumes/WD500GB-1/W2003-Doma¤ne/w2003-server (2) hard '...
  Clone: 66% of fact.
  2013-05-25 21:08:59 - info: ERROR: error in the backup of "/ vmfs/volumes/WD500GB-1/W2003-Doma¤ne/w2003-server (2) hard" to W2003 Server
  2013-05-25 21:08:59 - Info: backup time: 12,40 Minutes
  2013-05-25 21:08:59 - info: ERROR: impossible to W2003 server from backup because of the error in VMDK backup!

  2013-05-25 21:09 - info: # final status: ERROR: No. VMs saved! ######

  2013-05-25 21:09 - info: = ghettoVCB JOURNAL END =.

  / vmfs/volumes/519fceb8-3d39150e-2D0F-001999eeb339/ghettoVCB-Master #.

  > However, when I start to create a backup, the process would end with an error :-(

  This is not correct.  Depending on your position, you've got to 66%, until he ended with an error.

  I have the same problem. In my case, I make a virtual disk full and mount it with Server 2003 for project a NFS volume.  I use GhettoVCB, as you do.  It uses the standard vkmfstools in the script to make the clone/backup.  I have proven that the problem also occurs when you use the command line vkmfstools.  GhettoVCB has the bad habit of you cache the error code.  The error code is he ran out of disk space, which we both did not happen.  Once the problem occurs, the only way I could fix is to delete the virtual disk and start over, however, the problem will come back.  The problem didn't surface until what I moved to ESXi 4.0 5.1 on the servers.  Through this process, the hardware off the VMS version did not change, nor dare, because I may need to take 5.1 and back to 4.x.

• Thin vs. lazy thickness set to zero + SAN thin provisioning

  Is there an advantage to using thick lazy set to zero and then using a provisioning to the FC LUN by opposition level just using Vmware Thin provisioning?  I guess I could use thin for VMS and LUNS, too.

  Updated zero lazy thick result in less lock/delay when filling unused space from end

  I don't think we see any economy using eager Zero thick with San provisioning on our Netapp.

  You should see the original in vsphere, but thin format discs on your San.

  Maybe this will help.  http://theithollow.com/2013/03/are-you-thin-or-thick-where-at/

• Exchange 2010 - is thin provisioned supported or only zeroeager?

  It seems to be conflicting information anywhere on the internet.  When configuring storage for the newspapers and the Exchange databases, disks must always be zeroeager or are provisioed thin discs supported these days in VMWare?  MS say this extension dynamic disks are not supported, but which is under Hyper-V

  See attached PDF.

  Q: are there requirements around storage for my virtualized Exchange solution design?
  A: VMFS on iSCSI and Fibre Channel storage is supported, as are the physical maps and virtual-mode raw device. The use of thin provisioned disks or network - storage devices is not supported by Microsoft for virtualized Exchange deployments.

  Confirmation by Microsoft;

  http://support.Microsoft.com/?kbid=897615

• Thin provision security issues

  Hello

  I remember said that if you thin provisioned a disk and then used a file recovery tool it may be possible to read data from the underlying storage system.

  I just did a quick google but I couldn't find anything,

  It is never true. The documentation that I can find for v5 says that a disc thin provisioend returns 0 if it has not already been written in.

  Thank you

  Jeremy

  The feature "fake zero" is what protects against that and as far as I know, is true since ESX thin VMDK support.