Get and install and configure VSC (Virtual Storage Console 5.0!)

For each datastore:

create a LIF for each datastore

USE VSC! -> this will mount on all hosts automatically

Using VSC, provision the volume. it will mount to all hosts.

BEFORE USE: verify the Datastore mounted from the IP you expect.

If not, unmount it and use the WEB CLIENT and mount it from the correct IP as needed.

All of the VSC's could be mounted right from the top level of the SVM. 

You may need to go back and create a new export-policy that limits the NFS exposure to only the ESXi hosts (for ROOT access!)

Also use VSC to TUNE the ESXi hosts settings. (reboot usually required of the ESXi hosts for full effect)

This allows you place VMs anyplace easily. Should an issue arise, you can use "vol move" on the netapp to relocate volumes as needed for performace or capacity.

--tmac

Tim McCarthy

Principal Consultant

On Fri, Jul 17, 2015 at 3:06 PM, John Stoffel <john@stoffel.org> wrote:

Guys,

I'm starting to re-read TR-3749 again, but since I'm running cDOT
8.2p# on my main two node cluster (soon to be four nodes) I wanted
your opinions on how to provision NFS datastores.

Right now, when we add new DataStores, we have to goto all 16 ESX
hosts in the cluster and manually mount them.  Which is doable, but
maybe not scalable over time as we'd like to isolate groups and apps
into their own NFS volumes if possible.

So, knowing that cDOT allows me to setup a volume and then use
junction mounts to add more volumes to that name space, does it make
sense to do:

1. Create base volume, let's call it '/datastore1'

2. Create sub-volumes of various sizes and performance levels and
   mount them to:

   /datastore1/bob
   /datastore1/jim
   /datastore1/sam
   ....

3. When we spin up VMs and asign the data stores, you only need to
   drill down into the correct area, bob, jim or sam and put the data
   there.


4. I want to add new FlashPool volume, so I create it and junction
   mount it to /datastore1/fp1

5. I don't have to add any mounts to the ESX hosts, they just see more
   growth in the /datastore1/ mount point and keep working.

So is this a dumb idea?  Or not a supported idea?  I know it limits my
through put to just a single IP address for traffic, unless I spread
out the load by having multiple /datastore#/ volumes spread across the
nodes of the cluster, and various volumes junction mounted to each of
these master /datastore#/ volumes.

Right now we just create new volumes and mount them, but I looking for
a more scalable, manageable method.

THanks,
John

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