Table of ContentsView in Frames

Setting up VMDK support

Overview of VMDK setup

Before you begin installing or upgrading SnapManager, you must complete the pre-install or pre-upgrade procedures. See Preinstall or preupgrade procedure. If your system will include VMDK disks, before you install SnapManager, you must also complete these tasks:

Installing Virtual Storage Console for VMware vSphere

To support VMDK disks, you must install VSC for VMware vSphere on an ESX/ESXi server.

To install VSC, complete the following steps.

Step Action
1

Determine where to install VSC for VMware vSphere. VSC can reside on the vCenter Server or a dedicated server.

2

Install VSC for VMware vSphere on the server.

Refer to VSC documentation for installation requirements and steps.

3

Configure VSC for VMware vSphere to discover your storage environment.

Creating a virtual machine

To support VMDK disks, create one or more virtual machines.

Step Action
1

In vCenter, select the storage controller.

2

Create an NFS, iSCSI, FC, or VMFS datastore from vCenter.

3

Create a virtual machine on the datastore you just created.

See the Virtual Storage Console for VMware vSphere Installation and Administration Guide for more information.

4

Install the guest operating system on the virtual machine.

5

Install SnapDrive for Windows on the virtual machine and enter the IP address of the management server and credentials used to communicate with VSC on the management server.

Note: If you will not be using RDM LUNs on the virtual machine, do not enter the ESX/VSC credentials.

Creating VMDK disks

For SQL Server on VMDK, you must create one or more VMDKs from an NFS or VMFS datastore and attach it to the virtual machine.

To create a VMDK disk and attach it to the virtual machine, complete the following steps.

Step Action
1

Create a VMDK on an NFS or VMFS datastore on the management server

2

On the virtual machine, open the Disk Management console, initialize the new disk, and assign a drive letter or mount point to the disk.

Note: See the SnapDrive Installation and Administration Guide or the Virtual Storage Console for VMware vSphere Installation and Administration Guide for information on how to create a VMDK.

After you complete the preceding tasks, you can continue preparing to install or upgrade SnapManager. Go to Installing or upgrading SnapManager.