VMware VAAI

[MarkGeorge]

Hi,

So I've been hearing a lot about the new VAAI functions in 4.1 and was wondering how I go about taking advantage of this in our setup. We're running 4.1 connected by 8GB FC to an EMC CX4-120 SAN and from what I understand these new features should be enabled by default? Looking at the HBA it shows that the hardware acceleration level is 'unknown' and running a few VMotion operations doesn't seem to change this? Is there something I need to enable on SAN side?

[Vivek Singh]

Hey George,

To determine if VAAI is enabled:

1.In the vSphere Client inventory panel, select the host.

2.Click the Configuration tab, and click Advanced Settings under Software.

3.Check that these options are set to 1 (enabled):

DataMover/HardwareAcceleratedMove

DataMover/HardwareAcceleratedInit

VMFS3/HardwareAcceleratedLocking

From commandline -->

1. esxcfg-advcfg -g /DataMover/HardwareAcceleratedMove

2. esxcfg-advcfg -g /DataMover/HardwareAcceleratedInit

3. esxcfg-advcfg -g /VMFS3/HardwareAcceleratedLocking

also if these are enabled you can check the status using the command below:

1. esxcfg-scsidevs -l | egrep "Display Name:|VAAI Status:"

thanks

[Vivek Singh]

forgot to mention the KB article:[VAAI KB|http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1021976]

you can refer this for any VAAI related information.

[vmroyale]

Hello.

So I've been hearing a lot about the new VAAI functions in 4.1 and was wondering how I go about taking advantage of this in our setup. We're running 4.1 connected by 8GB FC to an EMC CX4-120 SAN and from what I understand these new features should be enabled by default?

You need to be at FLARE 30 on the CX4, for the VAAI support to be there.

Good Luck!

[titaniumlegs]

VMotion won't necessarily trigger any VAAI operations. All VMotion really does is move the executing location of a VM from server to server.

Storage VMotion between datastores on LUNs on the same supported storage controller should use the Full Copy VAAI primitive which uses the SCSI EXTENDED COPY command under the covers. vCenter VM cloning will also use Full Copy.

Creating an eagerzerothick VMDK should use the Block Zeroing primitive which calls SCSI WRITE SAME.

Creating/deleting files, adding blocks to files (by writing enough data to it to grow to the next VMFS block size or some multiple of the block size), adding a server to a cluster, starting/stopping a VM and a few other operations should trigger Hardware-Assisted Locking which calls SCSI COMPARE AND WRITE.

Not sure about EMC, but on NetApp there are counters you can use to actually see this happening.