Tag Archives: vmware virtual server

Adding Windows Server NFS Shares to VMware ESX

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KB ID 0000319

Problem

You have a Windows 2019/2016, 2012, or 2008 server with plenty of storage space, and you would like to present that to an ESX/ESXi server as a datastore. You can configure a folder (or drive) as an NFS share and present it to VMware vSphere, so that it can be used as a datastore.

Note: For Server 2008 and vSphere 4/5 Scroll down.

Create NFS Shares on Windows Server 2019, 2016, and 2012

Essentially you need to add the ‘Server for NFS’ role, (Below “File and Storage Services“).

Create a folder to share, on its properties > NFS Sharing > Manage NFS Sharing.

Tick to share > Permissions.

You can add each host individually here, but I’m just changing the default rule to allow Read/Write to ALL MACHINES > Tick ‘Allow root access’ > OK.

VMWare vSphere 6 Connecting to Windows NFS Shares

Make Sure you have a VMKernel port on the same network as your NFS share.

DataStore View > Right click the ‘Cluster‘ > Storage > New Datastore > NFS > Next > NFS 3 > Next.

Give the datastore a name > Select the share name (prefix it with a forward slash, and remember they are case sensitive!) > Enter the IP or FQDN of the NFS server > Next > Next > Finish.

Create NFS Shares on Windows Server 2008

Gotchas

1. The system will not work if you do not have a vmkernel port, if you already have iSCSI or vmotion working then this will already be in place.

If not you will see an error like this,

Call “HostDatastoreSystem.CreateNasDatastore” for object “ha-datastoresystem” on ESX “{name or IP of ESX server}” failed.

2. Make sure TCP port 2049 is open between the NFS share and the ESX box. On an ESX 3.x servers you may need to run ” esxcfg-firewall -e nfsClient “.

Other Points

1. You CAN boot a windows VM from any NFS store (just because Windows cannot boot from NFS – does not mean a VM can’t).

2. NFS Datastores are limited to 16TB.

3. vSphere supports up to 64 NFS Datastores (ESX supports up to 32).

4. Thin provisioned disks will “re-expand” when moved/cloned to another NFS Datastore (THOUGH NOT in a vSphere environment).

5. On Server 2008 R2 NFS can only support 16 TCP connections, to raise the limit see here.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

vSphere – Guest VM is shown as (Orphaned)

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KB ID 0000414 

Problem

I’ve seen this happen a few times now, while looking at your Virtual infrastructure, one or more client machines is greyed out and shown as (Orphaned).

Solution

If you have many guests VM’s on one host with this problem, you can cure this by removing the parent host and re-adding it to the cluster, then right clicking it and select “Reconfigure for HA“.

Or you can do the following, on a machine by machine basis.

1. Right click the affected VM and select “Remove from Inventory” (nothing gets deleted don’t worry.)

2. Select one of your ESX hosts > Configuration > storage > Right click the storage that holds the virtual machine we are dealing with and select “Browse Datastore” > Locate the machines .vmx file > Right click > Add to inventory > Follow the instructions.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

For VMware View machines click here

VMware VIM (vCenter) Where to put the sysprep files in Server 2008?

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KB ID 0000420 

Problem

For newer servers I don’t really use templates anymore, but if you are deploying a lot of 2003 Windows servers in vSphere, then they can save you some time. Back in the days of vCenter 2.5 you just uploaded those sysprep files to the relevant folder in,

[box]C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataVmwareVmware Virtual Centersysprep[/box]

But that location no longer exists (since Server 2008).

Solution

The location for sysprep files is now,

[box]C:ProgramDataVMwareVMware VirtualCentersysprep[/box]

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Download all the sys prep versions

Is Exchange 2010 Supported on VMware?

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KB ID 0000333 

Problem

At time of writing (30/09/10) it seems I cant get a definitive answer! My colleague tried to log a third line support call with Microsoft this week, as soon as they found out that Exchange 2010 was running in a VMware environment, they (literally) hung up on him.

Solution

Well Microsoft’s own documentation says it IS

Reference:

Fair enough Exchange 2010 is supported on a “Third party Hypervisor ONLY if its been validated in the “Windows Server Virtualization Validation Program“”.

Lets check that then,

Reference:

Quote ” Products that have passed the SVVP requirements for Windows Server 2008 R2 are considered supported on Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 and later Service Packs, both x86 (32-bit), and x64 (64-bit).”

And The platform it was running on IS listed (ESXi 4.0 U1).

When presented with this evidence the response was “We will try and fix it on a “Best Endeavour” basis” and the problem (which had nothing to do with VMware, it was actually Microsoft Threat Management Gateway that caused the problem!) was resolved.

Sorry Microsoft that is just not good enough! My company pay handsomely for their gold partnership status, and we expect to get third line support on the products we sell. The product is either supported or it is NOT, don’t publish that it is, then use the fact that is running on third party virtualisation to get the problem off your support call queue. Because somewhere there is an Engineer/Consultant who has persuaded THEIR client to part with money to buy YOUR product.

I openly invite Microsoft – Third Line Exchange Support, The Exchange Development team and anyone else to respond to me. I will publish any pertinent response.

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Technet Exchange 2010 Requirements Windows Server Virtualization Validation Program VMware Platforms Supported and passed SVVP