To create and manage a workload domain, VMware Cloud Foundation requires at least one shared storage type for all ESXi hosts within a cluster. This initial shared storage type, known as principal storage, is selected during the creation of a workload domain or cluster in SDDC Manager. Additional shared storage, known as supplemental storage, can be added using the vSphere Client after a cluster has been created.

Principal Storage

When you create a VI workload domain or add a cluster to a workload domain in SDDC Manager, you must select the initial shared storage type. This initial shared storage type is known as principal storage. Once created, the principal storage type for a cluster cannot be changed. However, a VI workload domain can include multiple clusters with unique principal storage types.

VMware Cloud Foundation supports the following types of principal storage:

  • vSAN
    • vSAN Original Storage Architecture (vSAN OSA)
    • vSAN Express Storage Architecture (vSAN ESA)
    • vSAN Max (requires vSAN ESA HCL compatible hosts)
    Note: You cannot convert vSAN OSA to vSAN ESA or vice versa.
  • Network File System (NFS)
  • VMFS on FC (Fibre Channel)
  • VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVols)
    Note: vVols supports FC, NFS, and iSCSI storage protocol types.

Supplemental Storage

Additional shared storage, known as supplemental storage, can be manually added or removed using the vSphere Client after a cluster has been created. All supplemental storage must be listed in the VMware Compatibility Guide. Multiple supplemental storage types can be presented to a cluster in the management domain or any VI workload domain.

VMware Cloud Foundation supports using the vSphere Client to add the following datastore types to a cluster:

  • vSphere VMFS
  • NFS
  • VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVols)
    Note: vVols supports FC, NFS, and iSCSI storage protocol types.