For a local file directory, shared file system, network file system (not supported by ARM hosts), or network file system, a storage volume is a file created in a storage pool. The system supports the following storage volume formats:
Raw—High-speed access volumes. This simple architecture provides high I/O performance, but does not support snapshots, fast clone, online backup, incremental backup, and differential backup.
Qcow2—Intelligent volumes. Volumes of this type supports snapshots, fast clone, online backup, incremental backup, and differential backup.
For a storage pool of the LVM logical storage volume type, a storage volume is a logical volume in a volume group. VMs mount logical volumes as block devices.
For a storage pool of the iSCSI network storage or FC network storage, a storage volume is a LUN on a storage server. VMs mount LUNs as block devices.
For an RBD storage pool, a storage volume is an RBD on distributed storage. RBDs use the raw disk format and support snapshots and online clone.
Add a storage volume—Add storage volumes to a storage pool.
Upload files to a storage pool—Add files to a storage pool.
Manage storage volumes—Delete and download storage volumes.
Make sure the host is configured with a storage pool.
If the host restarts during the creation of a storage volume, delete the storage volume and create it again after the host restarts.
To avoid VM data loss during bulk storage volume migration, do not start, shut down, migrate, clone, snapshot, or back up VMs that use the storage volumes.
RAW storage volumes that are being used by VMs cannot be migrated.
From the navigation pane, select Data Center > Virtualization > Cluster name > Host name.
Click the Storage tab.
Click the target storage pool. The Storage Volumes list will display storage volumes in the storage pool.
Click Add Storage Volume.
Configure storage volume parameters as needed, and then click OK.
Max. Size: Specify the maximum size of the storage volume, which cannot exceed the available space of the storage pool.
Format: Select the format of the storage volume.
Base Image: Select the base image file, which is a storage volume installed with an OS and applications. Multiple VMs can share a base image. You must select a qcow2 or raw file. You must configure this parameter when you add a qcow2 storage volume.
Provision: Select a storage volume provision mode. Options include:
Thin—Allocates only as much storage space as the storage volume needs for its initial operations when the storage volume is created. If the storage volume needs more storage space later, the system allocates as much storage space as the volume would require based on the specified maximum storage size.
Lazy Zeroed—Allocates the specified maximum storage size to the storage volume when the storage volume is created. Data remaining on the physical device is not erased during creation, but is zeroed out on first write from the VM. NFS storage pools do not support storage volumes of the lazy zeroed provision mode. NFS is not supported by ARM hosts.
Eager Zeroed—Allocates the specified maximum storage size to the storage volume when the storage volume is created. Data remaining on the physical device is zeroed out during creation. It might take a longer time to create storage volumes in this format than to create storage volumes of other formats.
Disk Cluster Size: Set the smallest amount of disk space that can be used to store a file. If a file is larger than a disk cluster, it is stored in multiple disk clusters. If a file is smaller than a disk cluster, it is stored in a dedicated disk cluster. A shared file system is mainly used to store VM image files. As a best practice, set the value of this parameter as large as possible to enhance disk read performance and save disk space. You must configure this parameter when you add a qcow2 storage volume.
From the navigation pane, select Data Center > Virtualization > Cluster name > Host name.
Click the Storage tab.
Click the target storage pool. The Storage Volumes list will display storage volumes in the storage pool.
Click Upload Files.
Drag files to the Upload area, or click Upload and select files.
Click OK.
From the navigation pane, select Data Center > Virtualization > Cluster name > Host name.
Click the Storage tab.
Click the target storage pool. The Storage Volumes list will display storage volumes in the storage pool.
Perform either of the following tasks:
To delete multiple volumes in a bulk, select the target volumes, click Delete, and then click OK.
To delete a single volume, click Delete for the volume, and then click OK.
From the navigation pane, select Data Center > Virtualization > Cluster name > Host name.
Click the Storage tab.
Click the target storage pool. The Storage Volumes list will display storage volumes in the storage pool.
Click Download for the target storage volume.