shared storage

[mmjaboor]

hi every one , iam configuring lab and i need shared storage

i want to know if i can share a directore on one of my esxi  servers and use it as a shared storage

[Virtualinfra]

Sharing a same lun(Datastore) across multiple esxi host in a cluster is called as shared storage.

mmjaboor wrote:

i want to know if i can share a directore on one of my esxi  servers and use it as a shared storage

I didnt get what do you mean by directore?.

But if i getyou correctly then the answer is yes, if you present the same lun(Datastore) across the esxi in a cluster.

[mmjaboor]

thank you for your fast replay

iam sorry  i ment directory or folder

i know how to make shared storage from external nfs server(linux,unix), i also know how to configure iscsi open filer to make shared vmfs storage

but my question is how to make an esxi server a shared storage between other esxi servers

[Virtualinfra]

mmjaboor wrote:

how to make an esxi server a shared storage between other esxi servers

You mean to say like we use openfile on a windows or linux box to provied storage lun with free space on them, like that on ESXi.

Then tat is not possible. But still you can create a VM configure all the storage to that, install openfile or starwind, from there you can give shared storage access to other esxi.

or

install vcenter

create cluster

all 2 or 3 esxi, which has local datastore.

now install vmware storage appliance- through you can make use of all the local datastore to be shared across all the esxi.

refer the below link on vmware storage appliance new feature with vsphere 5.:-

http://www.vmware.com/products/datacenter-virtualization/vsphere/vsphere-storage-appliance/overview.html

Software that delivers shared storage benefits for SMBs without shared storage hardware. VMware vSphere Storage Appliance extends the benefits of virtualization to all SMBs by transforming internal storage from several server hosts into a protected shared storage resource

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[mmjaboor]

thank you very much Dharshan  your answer is very helpful , i will see your link iam sure it will be very useful