Symmetrix VMAX: How to enable/disable VMware vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI) on ESXi hosts

How to enable/disable VMware vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI) on ESXi hosts

To enable Hardware Acceleration on ESXi hosts, do as follows:

• Hardware Assisted Locking

  Advanced settings > VMFS3 > VMFS3.hardwareAccelaraedLocking=1

• Hardware Block Zero

  Advanced settings > DataMover > DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedInit = 1

• Hardware Full Copy

  Advanced settings > DataMover > DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedMove = 1

These settings do not affect if the Storage is not VAAI-capable.

To disable VAAI in ESXi/ESX, you must modify these advanced configuration settings:

• HardwareAcceleratedMove
• HardwareAcceleratedInit
• HardwareAcceleratedLocking

You can modify these settings using the vSphere Client, vSphere CLI, or a console connection to the ESXi/ESX host.

Disabling VAAI using the vSphere Client:

1. Open the VMware vSphere Client.

2. In the Inventory pane, select the ESXi/ESX host.

3. Click the Configuration tab.

4. Under Software, click Advanced Settings.

5. Click DataMover.

6. Change the DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedMove setting to 0.

7. Change the DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedInit setting to 0.

8. Click VMFS3.

9. Change the VMFS3.HardwareAcceleratedLocking setting to 0

10. Click OK to save your changes.

11. Repeat this process for the all ESXi/ESX hosts connected to the storage

In addition to loading this Enginuity Pack, customers must also contact VMware Support directly and request a Hot Patch. This hotfix is required to fix an issue encountered when using VAAI for Storage vMotion and Cloning operations where performance degradation can result due to the operations taking longer to complete than when using Software (Host) Data Copy. VMware is currently working to release this fix in a GA version of ESX 4.1 targeted for release mid Q3 2011. However, if you encounter this issue, report the problem to VMware Technical Support to receive the Hot Patch. All customers with a VMware Support contract can file a support request using the instructions on the support site.
Under certain circumstances, it may be required to disable XCOPY or UNMAP VAAI SCSI primitives in the Symmetrix VMAX microcode.