Deploying vSAN with vCenter Server Appliance

Reading Time: 11 minutes

vSAN deployments in brownfield environments are simple. New hosts are configured based on projected workloads (plus points for utilising vSAN Ready Nodes), they’re purchased, racked, built, and absorbed into an existing vCenter workload domain before vSAN is finally enabled and configured. But how would we deploy vSAN into a greenfield environment? An environment with no vCenter, no shared storage, but only brand new ESXi hosts with valid (yet unconfigured) cache and capacity vSAN disks? As vSAN is reliant on vCenter for its operations, we seemingly have a chicken-and-egg scenario.

In this article, I detail the process of deploying (Stage 1) and configuring (Stage 2) a vCenter Server Appliance into a greenfield environment and, more specifically, onto a single-node vSAN cluster in hybrid-mode (Note – this is in no way supported by VMware for anything other than deploying vCenter and vSAN into a greenfield environment). I then add additional hosts to the cluster and configure vSAN storage and networking via the brilliant Cluster Quickstart tool (Stage 3), before applying a vSAN VM Storage policy to the vCenter Server Appliance (Stage 4). Once complete, our vSAN cluster will be ready to host live workloads.

Continue reading → Deploying vSAN with vCenter Server Appliance

VMware vSAN: Part 1 – Installation and Configuration

Reading Time: 7 minutes

I recently had a discussion with a Twitter connection regarding the ease and simplicity in which VMware vSAN can be enabled. It is so simply in fact, that it’s probably quicker than most client application installs. Granted, this discussion assumed that all hardware was already in place, had been racked and cabled, and all hosts had been added to a pre-existing vCenter Server. But the point still stands – enabling vSAN can be completed in 10 clicks. Yup, 10. No, honest….just keep reading.

Continue reading → VMware vSAN: Part 1 – Installation and Configuration

London VMUG - LonVMUG

London VMUG – 14th June 2018

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Thursday 14th June saw the latest London VMUG take place at Tech UK, London, with the User Group marking it’s third outing for 2018 in just six months! Rarely does any event see such heavy hitters as Duncan Epping, Frank Denneman, and Niels Hagoort in one place, but today, we got to see all three in attendance. Add to that line-up further awesomeness in the form of  vCommunity member, Chris Porter, and this was one truly great London VMUG indeed! I’ve been to a number of VMUGs around the UK, however, this was to be my first time joining the London gang.

London VMUG - 14th June 2018 Agenda
London VMUG 14th June 2018 Agenda

Continue reading → London VMUG – 14th June 2018