Storage

A datastore holds the disk images, ISO images and other files of virtual machines. Storage concepts explains the kinds of datastore, the disk formats, thin and thick provisioning and how space is counted.

Tasks of this section:

• Datastores: add and remove a local or NFS datastore, for administrators.
• iSCSI: enable software iSCSI on a host, add targets, set CHAP, rescan and create a datastore on a LUN.
• Files on a datastore: browse, upload, download, copy, move and delete files.
• Disks: add, grow, detach and attach disks of a virtual machine, and find disk images that nothing uses.
• Content libraries: catalogue ISO and OVF files.
• Troubleshooting: insufficient space, image in use, upload too large.

Virtual machines that use these disks are in Virtual machines.

• Storage conceptsDatastore kinds, disk formats, thin and thick provisioning, where the files of a virtual machine live and how space is counted.
• DatastoresAdd a local, NFS or iSCSI datastore to a host in the console, mount it on more hosts, unmount or remove it, and read the datastores of the inventory.
• iSCSIEnable software iSCSI on a host in the console, add discovery and static targets, set CHAP, rescan and create a datastore on a LUN.
• Files on a datastoreBrowse, upload, download, copy, move and delete files and folders on a datastore in the console, and use the datastore file endpoint.
• DisksCreate, grow and detach the disks of a virtual machine in the console, attach an existing disk file and find disk images that nothing uses.
• Content librariesCreate a content library on a datastore in the console, register or upload ISO and OVF items, and use the items.
• Troubleshooting storageCauses and remedies for insufficient space, an image in use, an upload that is too large, an inaccessible datastore and refused file operations.