How do I add storage to ESXi host

eagle241;

Here are your options.

1) SBS2003 EULA doesn't allow you to virtualise it. It'll npt be supported.
2) In a VM, it can not make us eof the RAID 5 array you want to acieve.

3) Best solution is to use shadowprotect software, make a full backup of your current SBS Box, and then using the vmware convertor, import the shadowprotect image into the VM.

Tweak the vm, and start the VM in, make sure you hit F8, boot into
 Active Directory restore mode for Domain Controllers(
please see item 3 Below):-
1. Add the following environment variable into the system environment variables
DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES (NOTE all capitals) with a
value of 1. To get to this value go to the Start Menu , right click on my
Computer and select Properties  then go advanced and Environment
Variables under system Variables select new and type values as listed
above  click OK three times. Note  see image after item 2
2. In Device Manager, use the right mouse click and select Show hidden
Devices then navigate to network adapters. In this section you will find that
some network adapter devices are greyed out or faint outlines. These devices
are not present and can safely be removed by right clicking and selecting
uninstall. NOTE ensure that the device manager window is not opened until
the environment variable has been created as the Device Manager MMC will
not refresh.
3. Active Directory Domain Controllers (DC) require special attention  when the
first boot of a restored DC happens hit F8 and select AD restore mode, this
ensures that AD will not run. Perform all the steps above and ensure that the
correct IP address is configured to the LAN interface; this may take up to two
reboots. If this is not done and the server is allowed to boot normally it will sit
at the Preparing Network Connections for a considerable amount of time
and possibly still fail.

Now make sure that Network on the VM is connected , and restart the SBS VM. Log into the server, anc configure the right netowork details for the network card. You will have to run the activation again on the SBS Box, and also run the Internet connection wizard again, to make sure your networking is all correct.

Thanks

Dextertronic:

All I am trying to achieve is to run my SBS2003 in VM ESXi 3.5 and then somehow access my data, which currently is in a RAID5 configuration.
Can I do that in the new box or do I need to have a seperatem SAN with an ISCSI interface?

S00007359

In am not to concerned about the support of SBS2003.

Do I really have to go through all the steps above to create/ build a new SBS2003 on my new box. I don't have any plans to migrate the existing SBS box but want to install it from scratch on the new box.

How does your solution address my concerns of accessing my existing data drives?

Theoritically, if  you install the SBS on your new VM, and is on the same network, then you can access the data from the drive.

Sorry I didn't explain that point I am not intending to keep the old box running but want the VM box to host the storage and are searching for a solution to do that.

Where do you want the RAID array to be physcially installed?

I was hoping to be able to physically have it installed in the same box which is running VMWare ESX3.5i

Got it.
Is there existing data on that array that you wish to make available to the Virtual server?

The only data on the array is user data which was created in the old SBS 2003 box, which I have backed up/mirrored to a backup external drive. I am looking to access the data on the array from my virtualised SBS2003 guest

Thanks

If you add the RAID controller card to the box and configure a new array you should be able to make that available to ESXi.
Create a virtual disk on it then copy the orginal data back on.

I have added the RAID controller card to the box and connected the drives in the same order as in the old box. During boot up the screen shows that the RAID controller is present and it recognises the existing array.

How do I now setup the virtual disk in ESX3.5i?

I know you can give a Virtual Server direct access to a physical volume.


I'll have a look at mine.

I see you problem.

I had assumed it was just like VMware server and you could provide direct access to a physical volume.

I provided my ESXi machines with a pre configured Virtual Disk.

I'm sure there must be a way to do it.

I'll keep looking

I managed to add 4 drives to my MOBO's and I can add them to a host, but as individual drives only.
Is there a way to arrange them in RAID5 using software RAID? Openfiler?

Any suggestion?

Thanks

Birger

What kind of controller are you using?
Are the hard disks  attached directly to the inbuilt controllers on the motherboard?

Do those controllers have any RAID functionality.

I don't know of any software addons for ESXi that would allow you to do RAID at the ESXi level.

I think your only option for RAID is at the hardware level.

Unless you wanted to use run a software RAID from within a virtual machine (which sounds pretty risky to me)

You can cetrainly get cheap RAID controllers for IDE/SAS/SATA hard disks

When you said you made the disks available to the host, was that simply as a location to store virtual disks or as a raw deive for direct access?

Yes the HDD's are connected to the inbuild controllers which does have RAID capabilities but for Windows OS only, but furthermore I am very hesitant to use the MOBO RAID software as a failure of the MOBO potentially renderes the RAID array useless.

It does looks to me that I my have to get a seperate SAN box either dedicated or a desktop pc running software like openfile or freenas?

I added the drives to the host as new Drives and then assigned them to my SBS2003 guest, but once in SBS2003 they do show up as individual physical drives

What do they show up as in SBS?