Understand and apply LUN masking using PSA-related commands

ESXi Server comes with several native PSA (Pluggable Storage Architecture) to perform certain storage related tasks.

I will go though LUN Masking at ESXi server in this blog. Usually LUN Masking is configured at SAN device to hide LUNs from hosts (HBAs) but ESXi allows you to hide LUNs to be displayed although LUN(s) are not masked by SAN device.

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Configure vCenter Server storage filters

vCenter Server applies storage filters to prevent undesirable LUNs to be displayed during the storage operation. For example if a LUN is used for RDM, a LUN will not be displayed in the list of available LUNs when you try creating a new VMFS Datastore. I cannot find or think about any use case of disabling these features but it can be tested in VCAP exam.

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VCAP5-DCA Objective 1.1 – Implement and Manage Complex Storage Solutions – Skills and Abilities

  • Determine use cases for and configure VMware DirectPath I/O
  • Determine requirements for and configure NPIV
  • Determine appropriate RAID level for various Virtual Machine workloads
  • Apply VMware storage best practices
  • Understand use cases for Raw Device Mapping
  • Configure vCenter Server storage filters
  • Understand and apply VMFS re-signaturing
  • Understand and apply LUN masking using PSA-related commands
  • Analyze I/O workloads to determine storage performance requirements
  • Identify and tag SSD devices
  • Administer hardware acceleration for VAAI
  • Configure and administer profile-based storage
  • Prepare storage for maintenance
  • Upgrade VMware storage infrastructure
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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 7

Step 15 – Verifying all components

  1. Install vSphere Client in vCenter VM
  2. Open vSphere Client and make sure that you can login to vCenter Server.
    Screen Shot 2012-10-15 at 09.03.19
    Screen Shot 2012-10-15 at 09.04.16

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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 6

Step 14 – Installing vCenter Server

  1. Attach vCenter Installation ISO to vCenter VM.
    Screen Shot 2012-10-15 at 08.17.09
  2. Start vCenter Server Installation
    Screen Shot 2012-10-15 at 08.18.55
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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 5

Step 13 –Configuring ESXi Server Network Settings

  1. Log in to ESXi Server DCUI by pressing F2.
    VMware ESXi 5-01-2012-10-14-18-34-19
  2. Select “Configure Management Network” Option
    VMware ESXi 5-01-2012-10-14-18-34-53
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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 4

Step 8 – Creating Openfiler VM

  1. Create a new VM for Openfiler. VMware Workstation does not automatically detect OS for Openfiler. Select Other Linux 2.6 kernel as I have x32 version of Openfiler. Select appropriate version according ISO image you have.
    Screen Shot 2012-10-07 at 15.35.40 Screen Shot 2012-10-07 at 15.36.03
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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 3

Step 4 – Preparing DC

  1. Create a new Virtual Machine, Select Windows 2003 Server x32 ISO. You will be asked for Key and Administrator Name, then enter thenaccordingly.
    Screen Shot 2012-10-07 at 14.04.18
  2. Name Virtual Machine such as DC. Then Next.
    Screen Shot 2012-10-07 at 14.04.56
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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 2

Step 2 – Creating ESXi Server VMs.

  1. You will need minimum of two ESXi Servers. ESXi Server which runs in VM is called “Nested ESXi”.
  2. Create a New Virtual Machine with Custom Mode.
    Screen Shot 2012-10-07 at 13.04.24
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Creating Virtual Lab Environment – Part 1

I have been asked by my students how to setup the Lab Environment within VMware Workstation so many times. Although I have tried to explain as much as I can, I think it will be easier to understand if there is an instruction for how to setup. So finally I decided to write this instruction about it.

Tools you need

  1. Laptop/Desktop with minimum of 8GB RAM (10GB or more is preferable)
  2. VMware Workstation 9 ( Can be done with other editions but the instruction is based on 9)
  3. Windows 2003 x64 ISO
  4. Windows 2003 x32 ISO
  5. vCenter Server 5 Windows Edition ISO
  6. ESXi 5 ISO
  7. Openfiler ISO

My Environment

Screen Shot 2012-10-07 at 13.02.54

Network Diagram

VMware Lab

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