Category Archives: VMware

Posts, tutorials, and solutions covering the VMware suite of virtualisation products

VMware – Cannot Cut, Copy, or Paste to VM’s

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KB ID 0000515

Problem

Ever since ESX 4.1 this feature has been disabled and you have been unable to paste to VM, VMware say in their own documentation:

Source (Page 215 – ESX Configuration Guide ESX 4.1 vCenter Server 4.1).

To turn this feature back ON you have a few choices.

Please be aware: We are talking about copy and pasting TEXT to and from a guest VM NOT files and folders.

Solution

ESX Option 1 (Enable Copy and Paste to VM an individual Guest machine)

Using vSphere 8 or Above

Firstly, you need to shut the virtual machine down > Right Click it > Edit Settings >  Advanced > Add the following TWO attributes and values.

Add in the following two;
Attribute: isolation.tools.copy.disable, Value: false
Attribute: isolation.tools.paste.disable, Value: false

Click OK >  Power the VM back on.

Using HML5 Web Client (Enable Copy and Paste to VM)

Firstly, you need to shut the virtual machine down > Right Click it > Edit Settings > VM Options > Advanced  > Scroll down.

 

Edit configuration > Add configuration params;

Add in the following two parameters then click OK

Name: isolation.tools.copy.disable, Value: false
Name: isolation.tools.paste.disable, Value: false

Using Flash Web Client.

Firstly, you need to shut the virtual machine down > Right Click it > Edit Settings > VMware Option Tab > Advanced > Edit configuration > Add in the following;

Name: isolation.tools.copy.disable, Value: false
Name: isolation.tools.paste.disable, Value: false

 

OK > OK > Power on VM

Using VMware Client (Enable Copy and Paste to VM)

1. Firstly, you need to shut the virtual machine down > Right Click it > Edit Settings > Option Tab > Advanced > General > Configuration Parameters.

2. Select “Add Row” and add the following two options:

[box]isolation.tools.copy.disable

isolation.tools.paste.disable [/box]

Set both these values to FALSE > OK > OK > Power the VM back on again.

Note: Even without these values set, if a VM is vMotioned to an ESX host that has the copy.paste options set in it’s config file (see below) then these features are automatically enabled.

Option 2 (Enable Copy and Paste to VM on an individual Guest machine)

1. You can also achieve the same as above by directly editing the .vmx file for the virtual machine, Add the following two values as shown below:

[box]isolation.tools.copy.disable=”FALSE”

isolation.tools.paste.disable=”FALSE” [/box]

Note: Even without these values set, if a VM is vMotioned to an ESX host that has the copy.paste options set in it’s config file (see below) then these features are automatically enabled.

Option 3 (Enable Copy and Paste on the ESX host for all the VM’s on that host)

Note: This procedure will be removed/reset after an ESX upgrade. (You will need to carry out this procedure again post upgrade).

1. Connect to your ESX server, either directly on the console, or via SSH. and execute the following command:

[box]vi /etc/vmware/config[/box]

 

2. Press i to insert text and paste in the following two lines:

[box]isolation.tools.copy.disable=”FALSE”

isolation.tools.paste.disable=”FALSE” [/box]

Press Escape > then type :wq to save the changes.

Additional Steps for Linux / Ubuntu to allow Copy and Paste to VM

1. Assuming you have the VMware tools installed in your Linux guest VM, if not execute the following command:

[box]sudo apt-get install open-vm-toolbox[/box]

To enable copy paste on the guest execute the following command:

[box]vmware-toolbox &[/box]

One the VMware tools properties page pops up you will be able to copy and paste.

Enabling Copy and Paste in VMware Workstation

Out of the box, this functionality is switched on. However if you lose it then open the virtual machines settings > Options tab > Guest Isolation > Enable the Copy and paste option.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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PowerCLI: Get Snapshot Information

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Get Snapshot Information KB ID 0001829

Problem

The question was asked on Experts Exchange today.

Are there any scripts or reports that would give me information on VMware VM’s with snapshots?

was pretty sure this was a straight forward one, so I jumped on the test network.

Solution: Get Snapshot Information

Connect to your vCenter and use the following commands.

[box]

Connect-viserver vCenter-Name 
THEN AUTHENTICATE
Get-VM | Get-Snapshot | Select-Object VM, Name, SizeGB, Created

[/box]

That was easy!

Get Snapshot Information : With RV Tools

You can also get the same information from RVTools, which if you don’t already use, do so!

Solution: PowerShell Delete Snapshots

You can delete all snapshots by simply piping the command above to Remove-Snapshot, But you will porbably want to do that on a VM by VM basis. Use the cfollowing command.

[box]

 Get-VM VM-Name| Get-Snapshot | Remove-Snapshot

[/box]

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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VMware vSphere Adding vTPM

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vTPM KB ID 0001875

Problem

I’ve been asked about this a couple of times in the past, back then my test bench was running a mix of ESX 6.7 and 6.5 so I could not test and document the process. Now Everything is running ESX 8.x I can test the procedure in anger. The reason is because I was met with this today.

TPM 2.0 must be supported and enabled on this PC

So what’s a TPM, and a vTPM and why is that important?

Trusted Platform Module (TPM): A hardware component that enhances security by providing cryptographic functions and secure storage of cryptographic keys. It is used for tasks such as device authentication, secure boot, and encryption.

Virtual TPM (vTPM): A virtualised version of a TPM that provides the same functionality as a physical TPM but is implemented in software within a virtualised environment. It allows virtual machines (VMs) to use TPM features without requiring a physical TPM chip in the underlying hardware.

Key Functions of vTPM:

  • Secure Boot: Ensures that a system boots using only software that is trusted by the manufacturer.
  • Device Authentication: Verifies the integrity of the device and its software before it is allowed to connect to the network or perform sensitive operations.
  • Encryption Key Storage: Stores cryptographic keys securely, preventing unauthorized access even if the VM is compromised.

Use Cases:

  • Cloud Computing: Provides security features for VMs in cloud environments, ensuring that each VM can have its own isolated and secure TPM instance.
  • Virtualization Platforms: Enhances security in environments using hypervisors such as VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, or KVM.

Implementation:

  • Software-Based: Implemented as part of the virtualization software stack.
  • Isolation: Each vTPM instance is isolated from others, ensuring that the security properties of TPM are maintained even in a multi-tenant environment.

Advantages:

  • Scalability: Easily scalable across many VMs without the need for physical TPM hardware.
  • Flexibility: Can be deployed in various virtualized environments and cloud infrastructures.

To summarise, vTPM provides the security benefits of TPM in virtualised and cloud environments, enabling secure operations and cryptographic functions for virtual machine

Solution: VMware vTPM

vTPM Prerequisites

To install and configure a vTPM (Virtual Trusted Platform Module) on VMware ESXi, certain prerequisites must be met to ensure compatibility and proper functionality. Here are the main prerequisites:

  • VMware ESXi Version: vTPM is supported on ESXi 6.7 and later versions. (If you have 1x older host then you will NOT be able to utilise vTPM).
  • VM Hardware Version: The virtual machine (VM) must be configured with hardware version 14 or higher. This ensures that the VM can support the vTPM functionality.
  • vSphere: vSphere 6.7 or later is required. This includes both vCenter Server and the ESXi hosts.
  • UEFI Firmware: The VM must be configured to use UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware instead of BIOS. vTPM is not supported with legacy BIOS firmware.
  • Key Management Server (KMS): A Key Management Server must be configured and accessible. VMware vSphere requires a KMS to manage the encryption keys used for VM encryption and vTPM. This cannot be done with the ‘built in’ Native Key Provider.
  • Virtual Machine Compatibility: Ensure that the guest operating system of the VM supports TPM. Most modern operating systems, including Windows 10, Windows Server 2016/2019, and certain Linux distributions, support TPM.
  • Permissions: Appropriate permissions are required to configure vTPM. Ensure that you have the necessary administrative privileges in vCenter Server to configure VM options and encryption settings.

vTPM: Adding VMware Native Key Provider

With you vCenter selected > Configure > Key Providers > Add > Give the Key Provider a sensible name > Untick “Use Key provider only with TPM protected ESXi Hosts  (Recommended)* > Add Key Provider.

*Note: Each ESXi server DOES NOT need to have its own physical TPM chip unticking this option lets you deploy vTPM to a VM on ANY host regardless of whether it has a TPM chip or not.

Before it can be used you have to back it up > Select you Key Provider > Backup > Tick ‘Protect this Native Key Provider with a password (Recommended) > Supply and conform a password > Tick “I have saved the password in a secure place” > Backup Key Provider.

Adding vTPM to a Virtual Machine

Right click the VM in question  > Edit Settings.

Add New Device > Trusted Platform Module > OK.

I Dont See Trusted Platform Module?

Yeah, I knew all my pre-requisites had been met, but if you’ve read from the start you will know this VM came from a 6.7/6.5 environment, so not being able to add a vTPM was probably a hardware version problem, to save you googling Hardware version 14 is ESX 6.7 compatibility, so you have to change the compatibility, like so.

 
Right click the VM > Compatibility > Upgrade VM Compatibility > Yes > Select a version that 6.7 or newer > OK.

Note: If you cannot perform this procedure, you can bypass the check for both a TPM and an unsupported CPU by following the procedure in the following article.

Windows 11 Unsupported CPU

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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Proxmox on VMware

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Proxmox on VMware KB ID 0001867

Problem

In the wake of Broadcom doing its best to strangle VMware and its discontinuation of free ESX. I thought I’d look at the free alternatives. Previously I looked at Nutanix (and was not over enamoured.) So the next option is Proxmox.

Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) is a robust open-source server virtualisation platform that merges two cutting-edge virtualisation technologies Linux Containers (LXC) and Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM).

Installing it and getting to the management console is an absolute breeze.

Solution : Proxmox on VMware

Before you start, (as with most nested virtualisation products) you will need to make some adjustments to the security on the vSwich(es) that the VM will run on and change the three security options to ‘accept‘.

Download the iso file for Proxmox VE, and upload it onto one of your VMware Datastores, then create a new VM.

Give the VM a sensible Name > Next > Select the host (or cluster) to deploy the VM into > Next > Select storage with enough free space (Note: I’m going to use 500GB but you can deploy with as little as 16GB > Next > Next.

OS Family = Linux > Guest OS Version = Debian GNU Linux 12 (64 bit) > Next > CPU (I’m using 16 but you can use as low as 2) > Tick ” Expose hardware assisted virtualisation to the guest OS‘ > Scroll down > Memory (I’m using 64GB but you can go down to 16GB) > Scroll Down > Hard Disk (I’m using 500GB but you can go down to 16GB)  > Scroll Down >  Select the correct Port Group >  Set the CD/DVD image to the iso you uploaded earlier > Tick ‘Connect at Power On‘ > Next > Finish.

Power on the VM, and connect to its console.

Select “Install Proxmox VE (Graphical)” > Enter > At the EULA > I Accept > Ensure the disk information is correct > Next.

Set time zone and Keyboard > Next > Set the new root password and email address > Next > Set the hostname and IP address details > Next > Install > Proxmox will install and reboot.

Connect to the console via https://{ip-address}:8006 > Enter the root credentials you set earlier > Login.

And you are now at the management portal.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Proxmox Creating HA Custers

Proxmox You Do Not Have a Valid Subscription 

Proxmox Update Package Database Error

Proxmox Windows Drive Missing

Nutanix on VMware vSphere ESX 8

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Nutanix on VMware KB ID 0001866

Problem

In the wake of Broadcom doing its best to strangle VMware and its discontinuation of free ESX. I thought I’d look at the free alternatives. The most obvious is Nutanix CE (Community Edition) which is both free, and lets you have up to 4 nodes – which is impressive, as Free ESX does not have clustering or access to vCenter.

Honest Opinion: It’s very flaky, if you want a solution that you can just roll out and it work out of the box, then don’t attempt to run this on ESX/VMware. I accept that it’s an unusual deployment scenario, but people will want to test it first, and if you’re moving from VMware to Nutanix you are going to test it in an environment you know. I was going to deploy a three node cluster and attempt to do some VMware > Nutanix migrations. But despite about a week of trawling forums I could not get the cluster to create and launch (yes, I enabled UUID) After a week I thought – OK I’ll try a single cluster, and that’s what I’m doing below

Solution: Nutanix on VMware

You will need a beefy ESX deployment each nodes VM Requirements: 4x vCPU, 64GB vRAM and 750GB of storage.

To get access to the download for the Community Edition you need to go the Nutanix create a login and say you want to test drive Nutanix CE edition, trying to find the download on the website – is confusingly hard. Wait until you get a confirmation email and that will have the link to the page you want.

Note: Remember your Nutanix login details (you will need them later.)

Before you start, the virtual switch(es) that will connect to the Nutanix VM(s) will need to have both promiscuous mode and forged transmits enabled. Note: I run EVE-NG so I have all the security settings set to accept.

Create a New Virtual Machine.

Give the VM a sensible name i.e. Nutanix-CE-Node-1 > Next > Select a host, (or cluster if you have DRS enabled > Next > Select a Datastore with enough free space > Next.

Compatible with > ESX8 >Next > Add 4x vCPUs > Tick ‘Expose hardware assisted virtualisation to the guest OS‘ > Scroll down.

Set the memory to 64GB > Scroll Down > Set the first  Hard Disk to 50Gb > Enable Thin Provisioning > Change the Controller to ‘New SATA Controller” > At this point scroll up select ‘Add Hardware” > Add a further TWO hard disks > they will appear just below the 50GB one you have already configured > Set the second disk to 200GB > Thin Provisioned > New SATA Controller > Scroll down.

Set the last disk to 500GB > Thin Provisioned > New SATA Controller > Ensure the VM is in the correct port group > Set the CD/DVD ROM drive to the Nutanix installer iso image > Select ‘Connect at Power On‘ > Next > Finish.

The following step you should not need to do for a single host cluster, but it is a requirement if your intending on creating multiple cluster hosts > Edit the VM Settings > Advanced Properties > Create a new attribute called disk.EnableUUID and set its value to TRUE > Add > OK

Power on the VM and go grab a coffee > Select AHV (the Nutanix Hypervisor) > Make sure the correct disks are set for H (boot) D (Data) and C (CVM) > Add the host and CVM IP addresses  > Add the subnet and default gateway > Tick create a single cluster and add a DNS server. > Next Page.

Note: If you were not creating a single node cluster, you would obviously leave that option blank, and manually create a multi node cluster by logging into the CVM later (see notes below).

 

This is another flaky thing I don’t like > YOU NEED TO scroll all the way to the bottom of the EULA text then use the tab button > then select I accept with the space bar. If you dont scroll down, the following step fails and sends you back here.

Again good time for a coffee, when it’s done you will see this. Before you type ‘y’ to reboot carry out the next step.

In the VM properties disconnect the DVD iso.

It will take a while but once the VM is up you can SSH into it (use the CVM IP Address!) The default credentials are.

Username: nutanix

Password: nutanix/4u

 

More things I don’t like running Nutanix on VMware: The cluster didn’t come up; you can see that by running cluster status. As you can see a lot of services are listed as down. issue a cluster start command and go get another coffee. Do not proceed until all the services are up.

Browse to https://{CVM-IP-Address}:9440 > Log in with the default credentials and you will be asked to change the password > Do so, then reauthenticate with your new password. Warning this has a different username to the SSH login,

Username: admin

Password: nutanix/4u

Remember way back when we started thinking about Running Nutanix on VMware and I said you would need your Nutanix login credentials you setup on their website.

Note: If you get an error about not being able to contact the NEXT server, that because it’s not using the DNS server you setup above see the following article.

Nutanix: Could Not Reach Next Server

Finally we are runnning Nutanix on VMware.

Additional Notes: Running Nutanix on VMware

Although I could not get it to work, if you want to create a multi-node cluster then you use the following syntax using all the nodes CVM IP addresses (whilst logged into a CVM).

[box]

cluster -s 192.168.100.71,192.168.100.73,192.168.100.75 create

[/box]

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Cannot Remove vCLS Virtual Machine

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Cannot Remove vCLS KB ID 0001863

Problem

I had a NAS box fail on me and the NFS share it was presenting to  my vSphere environment was no longer available. Which was fine, but there was a vCLS (vSphere Cluster Services) virtual machine in that datastore, that I could not get rid of, as the datastore was no longer available, and I could not remove the datastore because, (as far as VMware was concerned it had a VM in it).

Solution: Cannot Remove vCLS

Firstly select your cluster object > Configure > vSphere Cluster Services > General > vCLS Mode > Edit vCLS mode.

Select ‘Retreat Mode‘ > OK.

At first glance, it looks like nothing is happening but if you look in ‘Recent Tasks’ you will see any running vCLS VMs have been shut down and deleted, and any others (including our orphaned one, have been deleted).

Now simply exit ‘Retreat Mode” by selecting ‘System Managed‘ > OK.

 

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HPE MSA Cannot See LUN?

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 Cannot See LUN KB ID 0001862

Problem

I finally got round to replacing the SAN on my test network, I setup the new one via direct cable connection (10Gbps iSCSI DAC).  I created vDisks and volumes, presented those volumes. Setup iSCSI bindings in vSphere, all vanilla stuff.

ESX hosts could not see the storage LUNS, they could see the SAN, but ‘add datastore‘ showed me no available storage.

Solution: Cannot See LUN

Two days! That’s what this cost me, I’ve spent over 20 years deploying storage (mostly HPE) but an assortment of HPE, Dell, IBM, NetApp, and a score of cheap alternatives. I manually changed the iqn names in VMware, I proved connectivity from VMKernels to the storage array with vmping.  I updated the controller and card firmware – nothing.

I got a trusted colleague on the gear remotely to check I’d not done anyhting stupid, he made some suggestions, still no progress. I opened an quesiton on Experts Exchange – lot’s of good advice but nothing worked.

Then after trawling through old HPE  and VMware forum posts I found a link to a video, it was an Indian chap deploying some iSCSI volumes to a Windows server, even though I don’t speak Hindi, I thought “What the hell I’ll watch it, and make sure (once again) I had not done anything stupid.

Then while mapping the new volume, he did something so simple and so mind bogglingly easy to miss, everyone I’d spoken to had missed it also. When mapping a volume you create a LUN (in this example LUN 10) Set the rights to ‘read-write’ and apply.

See those green ticks over the iSCSI ports they DO NOT MEAN present the storage through those ports. They simply mean there’s a working cable in those ports.

You must manually go to each port, and make sure the PORT IS TICKED so it looks like this.

Whoever designed that GUI needs a massive punch in the face.

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VMware Enable SSH (vSphere ESX)

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VMware Enable SSH KB ID 0000299 

Problem

Should you wish to get SSH (remote secure console) access to your ESX  hosts, you need to do the following.

ESX Version 8 and Newer

ESX Version 6.5 and Newer

ESX version 5 and Newer

ESX version 4.1.0

ESX version 4.0.0 and earlier

ESX version 4.0.0 and earlier

Solution

VMware Enable SSH ESX 8.0

Directly on an ESX Host: If you have a stand-alone ESX Server running version 8.x, Log in via the web console >  Select ‘Host’ > Actions > Services > Enable Secure Shell (SSH).

Via vSphere/vCenter: If you want to enable SSH on an ESX host through the vCenter Web client then, from the ‘hosts and datacentres’ view > Select the Host  > Configure > Services > Locate SSH > Start.

Enable SSH Permanently: Some people don’t want this enabled for security reasons, and in production that makes sense, but on my test network I always have SSH enabled. from the same screen as above with SSH selected > Edit Start-up Policy > Select ‘Start an stop with host” > OK.

VMware Enable SSH 6.5

If you have a stand-alone ESX Server running version 6.5, it’s a lot easier to enable ESX access. Select ‘Host’ > Actions > Service > Enable Secure Shell (SSH). Note: You can also enable the direct console access here.

If you want to enable SSH on an ESX host through the vCenter Web client then, from the ‘hosts and datacenters’ view > Select the Host  > Configure > Security Profile > Scroll down to ‘Services’ > Edit.

Locate ‘SSH > Start > OK.

Once enabled you will see the following warning on the hosts summary page, however, in version 6.5 you can suppress this error.

VMware Enable SSH ESX 5

ESX 5 has a built in firewall, which can have SSH opened in the VI clients, or just as with version 4.1.0 you can enable SSH Locally from the console from troubleshooting options.

Enable Remotely

1. Log into the host with the VI client > Select the host > Configuration > Security Profile > Properties.

2. Locate SSH Server > Tick it > Options > You can either manually start it or set it to start automatically.

3. You will see the following warning to “retrieve” the firewall settings (because you have just changed them) > Select Yes.

Note: Having it running will still cause the “Configuration Issues – SSH for the host has been enabled” nag screen on the summary tab of the host.

VMware Enable SSH ESX 4.0.1

Starting with version 4.0.1 you can enable SSH access from the server console.

1. Go to the normal ESX console > Press F2 > Log in >Troubleshooting Options.

2. Select “Enable Remote Tech support” toggle on and off with {enter} if you want to SSH in the server remotely using PuTTy for example > If you want to log on directly at the console choose “Enable Local Tech Support”.

3. Note: Having it running will still cause the “Configuration Issues – Remote Tech support Mode (SSH) for the host {hostname} has been enabled” nag screen on the summary tab of the host.

Grant SSH Access to ESX 4.0.0 and earlier

1. Go to the normal ESXi console.

2. Press ALT+F1 > the screen will change > Type unsupported {enter} > Note: Nothing will appear on the screen till you hit {enter} > Type in the root password and press {enter}.

3. You now need to edit a config file, the only editor we have is vi (sorry) issue the following command,

[box]vi /etc/inetd.conf[/box]

4. The vi editor will open the file, use the arrow keys to move down to the line that says,

[box]#ssh stream tcp nowait root…[/box]

Press I on the keyboard (that puts the vi editor into insert mode) and delete the hash “#” mark from the beginning of the line.

5 Then, to save the changes press {Esc} > type in :wq {Enter} (that’s write the changes and quit if you’re interested).

6. Enter the following command.

[box]

cat /var/run/inetd.pid

[/box]

It will provide you with a number, (in the example below its 4983, yours will be different).

7. Issue the following command.

[box]

kill -HUP {the number you got from above}

[/box]

8. To get back to the usual ESXi screen and exit command line press ALT+F2.

9. You can now connect with an SSH client like Putty.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Original Article written: 07/12/11

ESX4 – Grant Root User SSH Access

Thanks to Dave Corrasa for the feedback.

vSphere Adding iSCSI Storage

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vSphere Adding iSCSI KB ID 0001378

Problem

iSCSI storage is nice and cheap, so adding iSCSI 10/1Gbps storage to your virtual infrastructure is a common occurrence.

vSphere Adding iSCSI Solution (vSphere 7/8)

Add a Software iSCSI Adaptor: Select the host > Configure > Storage Adapters > Add > Software iSCSI adaptor > OK.

After a few seconds you should see it appear at the bottom of the list.

Create a vSwitch and VMKernel:If you already have this configured you can skip this section, but basically you need a vSwitch, with a VMKernel interface (that has an IP address on it that can ‘see’ your iSCSI device), and then you need to connect a physical NIC from that vSwitch the iSCSI network (or VLAN).

With the host still selected > Configure > Virtual Switches > Add Networking.

.

VMKernel Network Adapter > Next.

New Standard Switch > Set the MTU to 9000 to enable jumbo frames > Next.

Note: Make sure the physical switches you are connecting to also support Jumbo Frames. Each vendor will be slightly different to configure.

THIS IS CONFUSING: Select the NIC you want to add the the vSwitch, and then ‘Move Down‘ so that it is listed in Active Adapters > Next.

Give the switch a sensible name (like iSCSI) > Next.

Define the IP address of the VMKernel (this needs to be able to see the iSCSI Target IP addresses) > Next.

Note: Don’t worry about the default gateway, it will display the default gateway of the managment network, that’s fine, unless you need to route to the iSCSI devices).

Review the settings > Finish.

You should now have a new vSwitch for iSCSI.

vSphere Adding iSCSI Storage: Create Port Binging

Back on the Storage Adapters tab > Select the iSCSI adapter > Network Port Binding > Add.

Select the one you’ve just created > OK.

vSphere Adding iSCSI Storage: Add iSCSI Target

Dynamic Discovery > Add.

Add in the iSCSI Target IP for your storage device/provider > OK.

At this point it’s a good idea to do a full storage rescan.

No Storage Has Appeared? Remember at this point your iSCSI storage device probably needs to ‘allow’ this ESX server access to the storage before it will either appear (if it’s already been formatted as VMFS and is in use by other hosts) or if it’s the first host that needs to connect to format the datastore as VFMS.

How this is done varies from vendor to vendor.

If you need to add the storage manually > Host > Storage > New Datastore.

vSphere Adding iSCSI Solution (vSphere 5/6)

Add a Software iSCSI Adaptor: Select the host > Configure > Storage Adaptor > Add > Software iSCSI adaptor.

After a few seconds you should see it appear at the bottom of the list.

Create a vSwitch and VMKernel:If you already have this configured you can skip this section, but basically you need a vSwitch, with a VMKernel interface (that has an IP address on it that can ‘see’ your iSCSI device), and then you need to connect a physical NIC from that vSwitch the iSCSI network (or VLAN).

Note: You can add a port group to an existing switch, (or use a distributed switch!) Here I’m using a standard vSwitch and keeping my storage on its own vSwitch.

With the host still selected > Configure > Virtual Switches > Add.

VMware Kernel Adaptor > Next > New Standard Switch > Next > Add in the Physical NIC that’s connected to your iSCSI network > Next.

Give the VMKernel port a name (i.e. Storage-iSCSI) > Next > Put in the IP details* > Next > Finish.

*Note: You may need to add a gateway if your iSCSI device is on another network.

Jumbo Frames Warning: Edit the properties of the switch and set it’s MTU to 9000 to allow for jumbo frames.

vSphere Adding iSCSI Storage, make sure the physical switches you are connecting to also support Jumbo Frames. Each vendor will be slightly different in my case the switches are Cisco Catalyst 3750-X’s so I just need to enable jumbo frames universally on the switch (which requires a reload/reboot!)

Allow Jumbo Frames Cisco Catalyst 3750-X

Execute the following commands;

[box]

Petes-Switch#configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
Petes-Switch(config)#system mtu jumbo 9198
Changes to the system jumbo MTU will not take effect until the next reload is done

Then Reboot/Reload the Switch and Check

Petes-Switch#show system mtu

System MTU size is 1500 bytes
System Jumbo MTU size is 9198 bytes
System Alternate MTU size is 1500 bytes
Routing MTU size is 1500 bytes

[/box]

vSphere Configure iSCSI: Back on your vCenter, we need to ‘Bind’ the VMKernel port we created above, to our Software iSCSI adaptor. With the host selected > Configure > Storage Adaptors > Select the iSCSI Adaptor > Network Port Binding > Add.

Select the VMKernel Port  > OK.

Note: If you can’t see/select anything, make sure each iSCSI port group is set to use ONLY ONE physical NIC, (i.e. move the others into ‘unused’). That’s on the port group properties NOT the failover priority of the vSwitch.

Add an iSCSI Target to vSphere: With the iSCSI Adaptor still selected > Targets Add.

Give it the IP address of your iSCSI device.

At this point, I would suggest you perform a ‘Storage Rescan’.


Ensure ALL HOSTS, have had the same procedure carried out on them. Then (assuming you have configured your iSCSI device), presented the storage, and allowed access to it from your ESX hosts. Right click the Cluster > Storage > New Datastore > Follow the instructions.

IBM Storagewize v3700 iSCSI 

This article is just for configuring the VMware side, but just as a placeholder, (and to jog my memory if ever I put in another one.) The process is.

1. iSCSI IP addresses, Note: these are under Settings > Network > Ethernet Ports. (Not iSCSI confusingly.) 

2. Create the Hosts (Note: you can copy the iqn in from vCenter).

 

3. Create MDiscs (RAID groups) from the available disks, Note: Global Spares are allocated here.

4. Create a Pool, I don’t really see the point of these, but you need one to create a volume.

5. Create the Volumes, which you will present to the Hosts, then create host mappings.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

vSphere ESX – Configure Buffalo Terastation 5000 as an iSCSI Target