Sainai
asked on
trying to map to a usb on vm esx 3.5
Hello,
I have vm ware esx server 3.5 and I am using acronis universal restore to back with creating .tib files. So I know that esx 3.5 has problems with usb drives so I am mapping to the usb drive once I share it out. The problem which I am totally lost on is that when I pick up the usb drive while trying to make a backup or restore, it asks me for username and password. I have it shared out with the correct permissions but when I try to get into the usb hard drive it won't let me authenticate. I have looked and found no answers. I have tried my local admin and domain credentials but still won't let me in the drive. Need help or is there no solution. I cannot believe something like VM ESX 3.5 won't work with external usbs!!!!!!
I have vm ware esx server 3.5 and I am using acronis universal restore to back with creating .tib files. So I know that esx 3.5 has problems with usb drives so I am mapping to the usb drive once I share it out. The problem which I am totally lost on is that when I pick up the usb drive while trying to make a backup or restore, it asks me for username and password. I have it shared out with the correct permissions but when I try to get into the usb hard drive it won't let me authenticate. I have looked and found no answers. I have tried my local admin and domain credentials but still won't let me in the drive. Need help or is there no solution. I cannot believe something like VM ESX 3.5 won't work with external usbs!!!!!!
Irwin W.
ESX 3.5 does not support USB. To get USB support, you will have to look towards devices such as this URL http://www.digi.com/products/usb/anywhereusb.jsp
ASKER
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! really there is no way?
How may "F"s in way?
Unless you go with USB over IP devices there is no way.
Unless you go with USB over IP devices there is no way.
ASKER
Damn! A whole lot of F's now!
You may want to evaluate XenServer unless you have already purchased ESX http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX118198
ASKER
nah already have ESX. I thought you would at least be able to map to the damn usb drive after sharing it out. I guess I was wrong.
Well, I think we can put this puppy to bed for USB support in ESX...
Does the USB support NFS? If it does you can just mount from your ESX server and attach that way, if you need those mount commands let me know.
Attach the USB to a windows box first, share it and enable NFS, if you are using Windows 2008, NFS comes bundled with it now
ASKER
Yes Qual can you send me the commands and exactly how to do it. Thanks
1. The first step in creating the share was to establish a mount point between our ESX hosts (Linux Red Hat Operating Systems) and the Windows 2008 Server; I simply enabled the NFS role on the Windows server first.
2. Assign your security on your NFS share, should be "share name" Encoding ANSI, allow anonymous access -2 -2 for those parameters
3. Once this is done log in to your ESX hosts one at a time and create your mount point by running this command inside of Putty. Make sure you elevate your username to Root access
mount -t nfs "IP ADDRESS OF WINDOWS BOX WITH NFS SHARE":/"Share Name" /mnt/"sharename"
4. Once it mounts, inside of PUTTY run the comman "df" this will show you the newly mounted share
5. Also to make you life easier in the future, add this line in the etc/fstab directory (I use the Nano editor)
<ESX Host name:<IP Address of your windows box>:/<nfs share name> /<whole path to your NFS share> nfs defaults 0 0 then hit control O and name the file, then enter.
This will automatically mount your share each time the ESX host reboots.
6. A Second VMKernel Port will need to be added under the networking tab inside of each ESX host that you want to see the share
7. A separate IP address will need to be assigned to every new VMKernal Port
Now you can click on the <Storage> icon and select <Add Storage>
Next select Network File System, choose next, input the IP address of the Windows NFS share, Folder=Share Name and your datastore name, leave mount NFS read only unchecked
This should get you going. Let me know if it doesnt work
2. Assign your security on your NFS share, should be "share name" Encoding ANSI, allow anonymous access -2 -2 for those parameters
3. Once this is done log in to your ESX hosts one at a time and create your mount point by running this command inside of Putty. Make sure you elevate your username to Root access
mount -t nfs "IP ADDRESS OF WINDOWS BOX WITH NFS SHARE":/"Share Name" /mnt/"sharename"
4. Once it mounts, inside of PUTTY run the comman "df" this will show you the newly mounted share
5. Also to make you life easier in the future, add this line in the etc/fstab directory (I use the Nano editor)
<ESX Host name:<IP Address of your windows box>:/<nfs share name> /<whole path to your NFS share> nfs defaults 0 0 then hit control O and name the file, then enter.
This will automatically mount your share each time the ESX host reboots.
6. A Second VMKernel Port will need to be added under the networking tab inside of each ESX host that you want to see the share
7. A separate IP address will need to be assigned to every new VMKernal Port
Now you can click on the <Storage> icon and select <Add Storage>
Next select Network File System, choose next, input the IP address of the Windows NFS share, Folder=Share Name and your datastore name, leave mount NFS read only unchecked
This should get you going. Let me know if it doesnt work
ASKER
Qual,
I am running Windows 2003 for my virtual clients. Does it matter that it is not 2008?
I am running Windows 2003 for my virtual clients. Does it matter that it is not 2008?
ASKER
Qual,
also on line 3.
3. Once this is done log in to your ESX hosts one at a time and create your mount point by running this command inside of Putty. Make sure you elevate your username to Root access
mount -t nfs "IP ADDRESS OF WINDOWS BOX WITH NFS SHARE":/"Share Name" /mnt/"sharename"
Do you mean use putty to log into the ESX Linux server. I am asumming you are since you said assume Root. But the virtual clients are all Windows boxes. I just need to get to the usb drive that is shared out from the Acronis boot loaded so I can upload the image. Thanks for the help
also on line 3.
3. Once this is done log in to your ESX hosts one at a time and create your mount point by running this command inside of Putty. Make sure you elevate your username to Root access
mount -t nfs "IP ADDRESS OF WINDOWS BOX WITH NFS SHARE":/"Share Name" /mnt/"sharename"
Do you mean use putty to log into the ESX Linux server. I am asumming you are since you said assume Root. But the virtual clients are all Windows boxes. I just need to get to the usb drive that is shared out from the Acronis boot loaded so I can upload the image. Thanks for the help
ASKER
another thing. Where do enable NFS on the 2003 server vm clients? I thought it was enabled automatically or am I wrong?
You will need to install Unix Services for Windows 2003 http://www.microsoft.com/DOWNLOADS/details.aspx?familyid=896C9688-601B-44F1-81A4-02878FF11778&displaylang=en
As for the other questions yes you will be putty into your ESX server and run the mount commands from there as the root user
As for the other questions yes you will be putty into your ESX server and run the mount commands from there as the root user
ASKER
Qual one last question if you don't mind.
So I have the esx and the storage groups set up. I have created empty vm so I can load an image of 2003 on the vm. So since there is no OS on the vm yet I need to detect the usb during the install of the image. I guess now since I need it to detect the usb prior to the install of the OS I guess I only need to log into the esx and create the mount points...correct? Thanx
So I have the esx and the storage groups set up. I have created empty vm so I can load an image of 2003 on the vm. So since there is no OS on the vm yet I need to detect the usb during the install of the image. I guess now since I need it to detect the usb prior to the install of the OS I guess I only need to log into the esx and create the mount points...correct? Thanx
So your OS image is an ISO that sits on this USB drive correct? If thats the case just right click on your empty VM, Edit Settings, Select your CD/DVD drive, chose Datastore ISO file, select Browse and you should be able to see your new USB mount as just another Datastore now.
ASKER
Yes it is a tib file that sits in a usb drive, but yes it works the same way as you just described or I thought. But it won't allow me to get into it. I shared the usb drive and it won't let me open it. do I have to go into the ESX Linux and run those commands that you posted earlier?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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