The NFS Datastore quick start guide will cover how to create an NFS Datastore on the FlashArray with the vSphere Plugin. The examples will cover how to create an NFS 3 or NFS 4.1 datastore with a new file system.
The easiest and quickest way to create a new NFS Datastore on the FlashArray will be with the Everpure vSphere Plugin. The vSphere Plugin allows users to create the NFS datastore for the FlashArray registered with the plugin while giving users that options of enabling specific features and best practices to be applied.
In the event that the vSphere Plugin is not deployed, please refer to the implementation guide for how to manually create an NFS datastore.
The first section covers how to create a new NFS 3 Datastore with the vSphere Plugin.
NFSv3 Datastore Creation - New File System
From the hosts and clusters view in vCenter, right-click (1) on the cluster or host where the NFS datastore will be mounted, hover over (2) Everpure then left-click (3) Create Datastore.
Select (1) NFS then left-click (2) NEXT.
Select a (1) host or cluster as a compute resource to connect the NFS datastore to and left-click (2) NEXT.
Select the (1) FlashArray the NFS datastore will be connected to and left-click (2) NEXT.
Select (1) create a new file system for the datastore on the FlashArray. Left-click (3) NEXT.
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NFSv4.1 can connect multiple File virtual interfaces (VIF) and NFSv3 can only connect 1.
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NFSv4.1 supports Kerberos for authentication and NFSv3 does not.
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NFSv4.1 supports session trunking and NFSv3 does not.
Review the best practices, select the (2) number of TCP connection(s) and left-click (3) NEXT.
Select the one (1) file VIF to be used on the FlashArray. Only one can be selected with NFSv3.
(1) VMKernel NIC binding can be enabled. This is a best practice because NFS traffic should only go down interfaces that are designed for this traffic- management interfaces are often much lower bandwidth than NICs installed for storage traffic and can cause significant performance degradation for NFS traffic.
If the hosts configured in vSphere are configured uniformly with a specific vmk port (vmk1 in this example), select (2) use the same vmknic for all hosts then (3) select the VMKernel interfacethat should be used on all hosts. Left-click (4) NEXT to complete this window.
Select a (1) Pod if desired then left-click (2) NEXT.
Select a policy type to be applied to this NFS datastore.
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Unrestricted allows for any host in the network to have read and write access to the NFS datastore. This configures best practices for connecting the NFS file system to ESXi hosts. In environments where the NFS network only exists for the connections between these ESXi hosts and the FlashArray, this option should be considered.
Left-click (2) NEXT.
Review the (1) configuration and left-click (2) FINISH.
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Restricted restricts the datastore access to specific compute resources that are configured. This configures best practices for connecting the NFS file system to ESXi hosts. In environments where the NFS network is shared between different hosts in the environment, this option should be considered.
Left-click (2) NEXT.
Review the (1) details of what has been configured for correctness and left-click (2) FINISH.
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Custom creates custom rule(s) for access in the environment. Best practices for connecting NFS file systems are not necessarily followed in this mode and must be configured. In more complex NFS environments with many networks and devices, this option should be considered.
Left-click (2) NEXT.
Populate a (1) policy name, specify an IP or DNS based (2) client (* for all), (5) access level (no-root-squash is required for vSphere VM use without Kerberos), (6) permission depending on how it will be connected to vSphere. Optionally, populate an anonymous (3) UID and (4) GID.
Once the custom rule fields have been populated, left-click (7) + ADD RULE.
Validate the (1) policy rule looks correct then left-click (2) NEXT.
Review the (1) details of what has been configured for correctness and left-click (2) FINISH.
This section covers how to create a new NFS 4.1 Datastore with the vSphere Plugin.
NFSv4.1 Datastore Creation - New File System
From the hosts and clusters view in vCenter, right-click (1) on the cluster or host where the NFS datastore will be mounted, hover over (2) Everpure then left-click (3) Create Datastore.
Select (1) NFS then left-click (2) NEXT.
Select a (1) host or cluster as a compute resource to connect the NFS datastore to and left-click (2) NEXT.
Select the (1) FlashArray the NFS datastore will be connected to and left-click (2) NEXT.
Select (1) create a new file system for the datastore on the FlashArray. Left-click (3) NEXT.
-
NFSv4.1 can connect multiple File virtual interfaces (VIF) and NFSv3 can only connect 1.
-
NFSv4.1 supports Kerberos for authentication and NFSv3 does not.
-
NFSv4.1 supports session trunking and NFSv3 does not.
Review the best practices, select the (2) number of TCP connection(s) and left-click (3) NEXT.
Some or all of the (1) file VIF(s) on the FlashArray can be selected.
(1) VMKernel NIC binding can be enabled. This is a best practice because NFS traffic should only go down interfaces that are designed for this traffic- management interfaces are often much lower bandwidth than NICs installed for storage traffic and can cause significant performance degradation for NFS traffic.
If the hosts configured in vSphere are configured uniformly with a specific vmk port (vmk1 in this example), select (2) use the same vmknic for all hosts then (3) select the VMKernel interfacethat should be used on all hosts. Left-click (4) NEXT to complete this window.
Select a (1) Pod if desired then left-click (2) NEXT.
Select a policy type to be applied to this NFS datastore.
-
Unrestricted allows for any host in the network to have read and write access to the NFS datastore. This configures best practices for connecting the NFS file system to ESXi hosts. In environments where the NFS network only exists for the connections between these ESXi hosts and the FlashArray, this option should be considered.
Left-click (2) NEXT.
Review the (1) configuration and left-click (2) FINISH.
-
Restricted restricts the datastore access to specific compute resources that are configured. This configures best practices for connecting the NFS file system to ESXi hosts. In environments where the NFS network is shared between different hosts in the environment, this option should be considered.
Left-click (2) NEXT.
Review the (1) details of what has been configured for correctness and left-click (2) FINISH.
-
Custom creates custom rule(s) for access in the environment. Best practices for connecting NFS file systems are not necessarily followed in this mode and must be configured. In more complex NFS environments with many networks and devices, this option should be considered.
Left-click (2) NEXT.
Populate a (1) policy name, specify an IP or DNS based (2) client (* for all), (5) access level (no-root-squash is required for vSphere VM use without Kerberos), (6) permission depending on how it will be connected to vSphere. Optionally, populate an anonymous (3) UID and (4) GID.
Once the custom rule fields have been populated, left-click (7) + ADD RULE.
Validate the (1) policy rule looks correct then left-click (2) NEXT.
Review the (1) details of what has been configured for correctness and left-click (2) FINISH.