NFS Export for VMware ESX 3.5

Question

How do you export an NFS file system on an NS20 so multiple ESX hosts can see the same NFS datastore. I have exported the file system via Celerra Manager and added the ESX hosts VMkernel IP's as Root Hosts, but as soon as I present the export to more than one ESX server I can no longer browse the datastore. Also If I attempt to create a Virtual Machine from the NFS datastore it shows as the access as Single Host. Thanks for the help.

IanSchorr · Answer

Hopefully someone here has experience with this and can offer some advice, but this sounds a lot more like a VMWare question. Have you asked in their forums as well? You might have better luck.

I'd expect things to work the same, regardless of the NFS server (Celerra or otherwise).

jpmorgan17 · Answer

Also I am in 60 day Evaluation mode. Thanks!

nandas · Answer

Did you mount the NFS export as a Network resource on the VMware? My VMware guys are working NFS exports on the ESX servers without any issue. So it should work. As Ian suggested, you may ask the question in VM Forum as well.

Thanks,
Sandip

jpmorgan17 · Answer

I currently have the all the ESX hosts in the Root Host tab. Thanks though.

jpmorgan17 · Answer

I did add the Storage via VMware's Virtual Center Client as an Network File System. I am also going to post in VMware forum and will let everyone no what I hear back. Thanks!

nandas · Answer

Add the VC machine as the root host and check whether that helps. If that does not help, you may delete the same.

jpmorgan17 · Answer

VMware support answered the question to Export a NFS file system to be accessed by multiple ESX hosts the File System needs to be exported from Celerra with the following IP's in the Read/Write Hosts, Root Hosts, and Access Hosts field in Celera Manager:

All ESX Service Console IP's
All ESX VMkernel IP's

nandas · Answer

So I was pretty close when I mentioned to add the Virtual Center (VC) machine as the Root Host.

However, I feel adding all the entries in root hosts will solve your issue - it will be nice if you can test that by adding the entries to root host list only (if that does not worj then add them to read-write and access host list).

Thanks,
Sandip

Rainer_EMC · Answer

Also keep in mind that adding a host to root= alone doesnt give him the permission to mount that share.
It just governs how root users are mapped - *IF* they were able to mount

You need to at least add that host to either rw or access

see attached for how a combination of these work

jpmorgan17 · Answer

Sandip,Just a quick point of clarification it is not the Virtual Center (VC) ip that needs to be added as the Root Host, Access Host, Read/Write host, but all the VMware Service Console IP's and all the VMkernel IP's. Thanks!John

nandas · Answer

Thanks for the clarification John. This is really good to know.Regards,Sandip

Celerra

NFS Export for VMware ESX 3.5

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