An NFS client built into ESXi uses the Network File System (NFS) protocol over TCP/IP to access a designated NFS volume that is located on a NAS server. NFS Storage with VMware Cloud Foundation can mount a single NFS volume to each ESXi host where it can be used to store virtual disks or as a central repository for ISO images and virtual machine templates.
NFS is generally used as a supplemental storage option but can be used as principal storage with VI workload domains. VMware Cloud Foundation only supports NFS protocol version 3 when used as principal storage. Supplemental storage can use either vSphere supported NFS protocol version 3 or 4.1. Although NFS 3 and NFS 4.1 can coexist on the same host, you cannot use different NFS versions to mount the same datastore on different hosts.
Storage Type |
Consolidated Workload Domain |
Management Domain |
VI Workload Domain |
---|---|---|---|
Principal |
No |
No |
Yes |
Supplemental |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
To configure static routing on your ESXi hosts, use the esxcli command:
esxcli network ip route ipv4 add -g gateway-to-use –n remote-network
Prerequisites for NFS Storage
- A minimum of three ESXi hosts marked with the NFS storage must be in the SDDC Manager inventory. See Commission Hosts.
- An NFS Server that meets the NFS Storage Guidelines and Requirements found in the vSphere Storage Guide.
- A Network Pool that includes details for the vMotion and NFS networks that will be used for the cluster. See Network Pool Management.
- The FQDN and the mount point folder name of the NFS server.
Procedures for NFS Storage
- To use NFS as principal storage for a new VI workload domain, see Deploy a VI Workload Domain Using the SDDC Manager UI.
- To use NFS as principal storage for a new cluster, see Add a vSphere Cluster to a Workload Domain Using the SDDC Manager UI.
- To use NFS as supplemental storage follow the Create an NFS Datastore procedure in the vSphere Storage Guide.