VMWare Block Size Issue
We are currently running a new VMWare setup and this was installed before I started employment for the company. We have an EMC AX4-5i SAN and 2 IBM Servers running as the hosts. The SAN is formatted into two partitions at 2TB Each, We are running a file storage system called OpenFiler but when I go to use veeam to back this up (testing veeam) VMWare appears with an error:
Create virtual machine snapshot openfiler
File <unspecified filename> is larger than the maximum size supported by datastore '<unspecified datastore>
CHOICEHOMES\Michael
CHOICEVC01
28/02/2011 10:07:43 AM
28/02/2011 10:07:43 AM
28/02/2011 10:07:45 AM
This also occurs when just trying to create the snapshot through vSphere Client.
Can I tell what block size this disk has been formatted at? Is there away around this error without reformatting this disk? We are running vSphere 4 Essentials Plus. Any more questions please ask.
Thanks
Create virtual machine snapshot openfiler
File <unspecified filename> is larger than the maximum size supported by datastore '<unspecified datastore>
CHOICEHOMES\Michael
CHOICEVC01
28/02/2011 10:07:43 AM
28/02/2011 10:07:43 AM
28/02/2011 10:07:45 AM
This also occurs when just trying to create the snapshot through vSphere Client.
Can I tell what block size this disk has been formatted at? Is there away around this error without reformatting this disk? We are running vSphere 4 Essentials Plus. Any more questions please ask.
Thanks
bgoering
When you go into the client, select an esx server, configuration tab, storarage - then select your datastore, on the bottom pane will show the blocksize
I am trying to understand your storage a bit better. You say you have 2TB Luns - are they both presented to ESX(i) for use as a datastore? Where does openfiler come into play in your shop?
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1012384 has instructions on how to workaround this, if it's possible in your situation
ASKER
Both of thge datastores have blocksizes of 4MB, so is this acceptable or needs to be changed?
Yes both are presented to use as datastores, openfiler is just for file storage on the SAN, we currently use a NAS for the file storage and all these files will be moved onto openfiler server
Yes both are presented to use as datastores, openfiler is just for file storage on the SAN, we currently use a NAS for the file storage and all these files will be moved onto openfiler server
ASKER
So really the best solution would be to change the block size to 8MB? as this datastore is a 2TB partition with 1TB currently being allocation to openfiler
Oh, so the openfiler is a vm with a 1 tb disk???
That depends - do you need virtual disks larger than 1TB? If so change block size to 8 MB. From what I am seeing is that the error means that if a snapshot were to be taken, then the snapshot was allowed to grow to its maximum size, then it wouldn't fit on the datastore along with everything else that is there. I don't think the blocksize change would fix that.
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