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Vmware Using RDM's for shared Data Storage
We are trying to take this same approach. Multiple ESX servers, with mulitple hosts accessing a common "data" drive (on an EMC SAN w/ Navisphere and Access Logix) from IIS6. There is much benefit to this - a single location for deployment, easy backup, saved storage space (no need for data redundancy on a SAN) and various other items. Has anyone done this? If so, what was your approach?
We have tried to set up a file server in the middle, but are hitting a "BIOS connection limit" in Windows due to the large number of sites (and associated files) hosted on our virtual cluster.
We have tried presenting a Raw LUN to Vmware, mapping the drive in Windows as read-only, however, the obvious problem is that we don't see modifications to the file system on the windows machines unless the drive is unmounted and remounted (re-scanned).
We would like to stay away from having to push files to each esx server.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
We have tried to set up a file server in the middle, but are hitting a "BIOS connection limit" in Windows due to the large number of sites (and associated files) hosted on our virtual cluster.
We have tried presenting a Raw LUN to Vmware, mapping the drive in Windows as read-only, however, the obvious problem is that we don't see modifications to the file system on the windows machines unless the drive is unmounted and remounted (re-scanned).
We would like to stay away from having to push files to each esx server.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
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'Fraid not. Windows Unified Data Storage Server does not change the essential nature of NTFS - you simply cannot have multiple servers trying to share the same NTFS file system.
ASKER
Doesnt UDS server treat the volume as a share, then shared out via iSCSI? If not how does one create a webfarm with a single datastore?
It works in the same way as a NetApp filer or other NAS that offers file and block leel access. The block level LUN is stored as a file on he file system. You cannot have multiple access to a single NTFS disk from multiple servers at the same time
ASKER
Is there anyway possible to do this? I am trying to create a web farm and really dont want to have thge same data in two seperate locations.
Yes. Use Quantum's StorNext file system as it allows multiple server access to one file system (a bit like VMware's VMFS but more sophisticated).
Alternatively, put the data on a Windows share.
ASKER
I just tested a file share it works great except for the speed. The test page took about 25+ seconds to load opposed to testing it on a local drive where the page took less than 3 seconds to load all the content. I could not find any pricing on the StorNext application, but I am guessing it quit costly. There has to be a better solution for sharing data from two VM's.
I configured a RDM on the Storage server as a local disk and then shared it out, did I do something wrong that could effect the speed so greatly or is just just a caviot of sharing? Im on Gb switch with GB nics.
I configured a RDM on the Storage server as a local disk and then shared it out, did I do something wrong that could effect the speed so greatly or is just just a caviot of sharing? Im on Gb switch with GB nics.
Windows Storage Server is not actually supported under VMware - which probably explains the poor performance. Try building a normal Windows server, put a file share on that, create an internal network that uses a NIC so that different ESX Servers can see it. Data transfers between the file share and a web server on the same ESX Server will run at memory speed, so you should see good performance.
ASKER
Thnaks meyersd, Ill set it up and post back the results.
ASKER
still no luck with speed, static content pulls ok, by dynamic content is very slow. I pose a new questions, If each server accesses the same LUN using iSCSI, can I use robocopy to populate the data on the second server our would this cause corruption to the data because ultimitly the data is on the same physical lun?
ASKER
Ok, that was a dumb question, I am new to MSCS but from the way it sounds it would allow me to share a single volume accross multiple servers, I dont want to use MSCS for anything other than accessing the RDM from 4 servers, NLB will do the load balancing. Is this even possible, sorry to be so ignorant, but I am touching on new areas I have never worked with before and just trying to get it right.
ASKER