Thin Provisioning - SAN or VMDK layer

Similar Questions

• VMware ESX 4.0 Update 1 with HP LeftHand P4500 Thin Provisioning (SAN based and client based?)

  I know with ESX 4.0 that you now have the option to select a provisioning on the side of ESX.  I'm already thin provisioning my LUN on the left side.  I do both or just the side SAN?  Also, I heard some people say that it is better to use a block size of 8MB for best peformance of SAN, do you think it is recommended/best practices as well?  Thanks in advance.

  The point to offer 8 MB block sizes is flexibility.  Because you cannot change the size of the block without reformatting the VMFS file system, you probably don't want to need to.  There is a great overview of a few points on this theme to the yellowwire from bricks.  I recommend you start here and follow the links.  It only takes 5-10 minutes, and you will be able to make your own choices.  For us, we're all migrate to blocks of 8 MB.

  What about thin provisioning, I have no practical experience.  But here's my point: If you sell thin anywhere, you have a more complicated system to follow in terms of space put into service and space required.  Must be taken account of this that data may coming in the future, or you might run out of space.  So, I ask you where you want to configure the monitoring of the use of space and how you want to administer the storage.  If you want to do on the primary server, and then stick with that.  If you want your VMware administrators to manage management, then do it in VMware.

  My recommendation: If you're already doing it on the back-end successfully, then stick with what you have.  Whatever it is, do it only in one place.  Otherwise, you're probably too complicate your configuration.

  Virtualization of happy!

  JP

  Please consider awarding points to useful or appropriate responses.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 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/

• Thin provision NFS works only for instant VMDK

  Hi guys,.

  We have a host of ESXi 4.1 using NFS as a storage device. NFS is provided by the platform, Bluearc Mercury.

  Whenever I create a new virtual machine, for Thin Provisioning option is checked but also gray outside. There is a line saying:

  "Actual allocation policy will be determined by the NFS server.

  I'll check the newly created VMDK and it's a thick disk, it consumes as much disk space I put for the disc size.

  So, it makes me believe that the Bluearc Mercury does not support provisioning.

  The strange thing happens after that I did a snapshot, another VMDK as server - 0001.vmdk was created, and it's the thin disk.

  Someone at - it the similar problem?

  Kind regards

  Derrick

  Showmanlkz,

  On the BlueArc server, file systems are provisioned files, thin as VMDK files are created as "fragmented files".  Just a slight difference in terminology, but the effect is what you're looking for in what concerns the commissioning only the disk blocks that are actually used (thin provisioning).

  If you have created a 10 GB VMDK file, but have only 5 GB of data on the inside, only pointers to these 5 GB of data blocks will be created.  Us will not pointers to blocks of empty data.  Standard orders will make reference to the metadata VMDK structure and will report on the 10 GB file.  In order for a command 'df' to show the use of real drive (5 GB), rather than the allocated size (10 GB), you must enable the "true fragmented file" mode.  Contact the BlueArc TAC for the real run command.

  Snapshots are a completely different beast.  By default, they are only pointers to a point static instant copy.  However, if you use our new feature JetClone to create clones in entry level file, these files will be also thin provisioned, only as the clone diverges in content data from the original VM has been created between more and more.

  Julie HG

  Product Manager, BlueArc

• Thin-provisioned VMDK & vSphere Client?

  Hi people,

  Just a quick, I have a VM thinly provisioned created on a host of test ESXi 4U1; I connect directly to the host via vSphere Client.

  When I download the file of the virtual computer on my own machine using the browser to store data, the end result is a flat file on my machine...  What is everything?  If I have a thin 60 GB disk implemented with only 12 GB allocated and want to take a copy, it ends up as a flat file of 60 GB transfer and waste all that space on my machine...

  Am I missing something obvious here?

  Thank you

  Alistair

  Hello

  the thin supply function is available only on a VMFS and some NFS data stores.

  When you copy a virtual machine on your pc, it does not matter if the VM vdisk is thick (flat) or thin, on your pc always it is thick (flat).

  Then, the slim advantage is only on the data store, not when you copy/transfer of the virtual machine on your pc.

  For example, it does not happen on vmware server 2 or workstation because the virtual machine is placed (previously assigned or not) in the files of the operating system.

  Hope this helps

  Best wishes / Saludos.

  Pablo

  Please consider to assign all useful or correct answer. Thank you!! - Por favor considered premiar any respuesta correcta o util. ¡¡MUCHAS gracias!

  Virtually noob blog

• 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.)

• 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 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.

• Ability to store data when thin provisioned

  Hi all

  VSphere 4.1 running in a cluster of two hosts, this cluster uses a Dell Equalogic PS4000 SAN for storage.

  Confusion I have is with thin configured data stores and my Exchange Server (2010) - running on MS Server 2008 R2 Ent.

  Exchange server uses three data warehouses on the San, one for the OS, one for data and one for newspapers.

  The data of databases store is the one that gives me problems, it has been defined as thin provisioned 750 GB, when I look on the SAN & via VCenter he said 90% full until she went to 100% after the SAN sent several alerts - the virtual machine then crashed with out-of-space error.

  To cut a long story short, I have twol questions

  (1) in this case why the SAN & VMWare say the data store is full, BUT when I connect to the virtual Windows computer it was about 50% in use?

  (2) when the data store that contains the databases filled I don't understand Exchange has fallen more but why why the crash of the VM?  The OS data store still had plenty of free space.

  I got this error by increasing the space of 100 GB to 850 GB data store while the virtual machine is very well (even if Windows was complaining to a stop suddenly unexpected).

  Thanks in advance for your help.

  K

  And without perspective, as it was put in service end and touch 750 GB, 300 GB, then was removed, it would not 750Go because it may not decrease in size - is that correct?

  (This would answer why the SAN says he uses 750Go of 750 GB, but Windows thinks there ish 300 GB free).

  Yes, that's correct... the recovery of unused/dead/removed space don't is not automatically made.

• Thin Provisioning not reduce size of backup

  I use ghettoVCB to save some of my virtual machines. I changed some of these virtual machines to use a provisioning in an attempt to reduce the size of backup. When I browse my store of data using vSphere Client, I see that the thin provisioned disks take less space. However, when I go back to a NFS store on a Windows Server 2008 R2, backup sizes are the same as they were when I used thick provisioning. Is this normal on a Windows NFS share? I did specify a provisioning for ghettoVCB.

  I ran sdelete and VMWare Converter to try to reduce the disks; This decreases the size of the disk that I see in the browser to store data, but the size of the backups on the NFS share was always the same.

  I don't have access to an NFS server ATM, but tests on a ZFS volume w/de-dupe that is exported outside like NFS, I can confirm that on the host ESX virtual machine appears as thin provisioned and when you do ls - lha on the VMDK is 8 GB and not 0 GB, but when you look at the free data store no space has been consumed during the creation of this new virtual machine. It all depends on your server and it is the configuration of NFS, I agree with RParker, you'll want to enable deduplication on your NFS server if it is supported. Put into operation end is handled differently on the NFS Server vs on VMFS volume and it dictated by the server NFS itself on how it is configured to manage a provisioning.

  =========================================================================

  William Lam

  VMware vExpert 2009

  Scripts for VMware ESX/ESXi and resources at: http://engineering.ucsb.edu/~duonglt/vmware/

  Twitter: @lamw

  repository scripts vGhetto

  Introduction to the vMA (tips/tricks)

  Getting started with vSphere SDK for Perl

  VMware Code Central - Scripts/code samples for developers and administrators

  VMware developer community

  If you find this information useful, please give points to "correct" or "useful".

• Thin Provisioning does not not as expected

  In my esxi 4.0 test environment, I created a machine thin-provision xp-32 bit.

  Provisioning was assigned to 50 GB and is a minimal install of XP (just the operating system, patches, vmware tools) leaving 44.7 GB free.

  The flat file hower, looks like she is supplied thickness.

  I searched every thread here and see no similar problem.

  Am I missing something? I thought that the vmdk file should be around 5 GB to do, 50...

  I do not use vcenter, just download free esxi 4.0.

  

  / vmfs/volumes/4afd5954-40f87539-4DE3-001aa0a6e9a3/XP pro SP3-Virgin # ls - al

  drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1400 19 Nov 12:40.

  drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 2240 19 Nov 12:14...

  -rw - 1 root root 53687091200 Nov 12:40 19 XP Pro SP3-Virgin - flat hard

  -rw - 1 root root 8684 19 Nov 12:40 XP Pro SP3 - Pristine.nvram

  -rw - 1 root root 506 18 Nov 17:55 XP Pro SP3 - Pristine.vmdk

  -rw - 1 root root 0 18 Nov 14:00 XP Pro SP3 - Pristine.vmsd

  -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 2731 19 Nov 12:40 XP Pro SP3 - Pristine.vmx

  -rw - 1 root root 1866 18 Nov 17:55 XP Pro SP3 - Pristine.vmxf

  -rw - rr 1 root root 230154 19 Nov 12:13 1.log - vmware

  -rw - rr 1 root root 63177 19 Nov 12:40 vmware.log

  Hello hamm3r,.

  It is normal that you feel. A directory of the regular list will show 50 GB. You need to do a query (use of the drive/directory) with the following:

  -ah *.

  Which should show the actual size of the vmdk file. You can also watch free space of your data store in the VI client to check that it lines up with your expectations. I hope this helps.

  Don't forget to mark this "correct" answer or 'useful', if you found it useful (you'll also points).

  Kind regards

  Harley stagnate

• Is it possible to migrate a virtual machine to thin provisioned disk?

  I have about 100 VM in a resource pool dedicated to called "Archive"... Well, archiving.  These virtual machines are currently powered off but every now and then we will get pulled for a developer to work on (they are for the most part, the virtual computer with client customizations if they are changed about once a year).  I'm quickly running out of space on this SAN but all discs are thick provisioned and using the disc is maybe 20-30% on average.  Also, I want to move them to a new large store of data I created for them.

  Of course, I choose Migrate & gt; Change store data & gt; Thin provision in vSphere Format and I'm done.  However, it would be nice to not do this 100 times.

  Move-VM does not seem to be capable of this, and I have not been able to find a workaround.  Is there a way to convert the thin and then perhaps Move-VM? Or I'll just on this all wrong.

  Thank you!

  You can try this script?

  He's moving vms to data store 'EMCSAN:Datastore01' trying to change the format of storage for Thin

  $dsView = Get-Datastore -Name "EMCSAN:Datastore01" | Get-View -Property Name
  
  Get-VM  | % {
  $vmView = $_ | Get-View -Property Name
  
  $spec = New-Object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineRelocateSpec
  $spec.datastore =  $dsView.MoRef
  $spec.transform = "sparse"
  
  $vmView.RelocateVM($spec, $null)
  }
  

  / Yasen