Configure I/O Filters in the vSphere Environment

To set up data services that the I/O filters provide for your virtual machines, follow several steps.

Prerequisites

• Create a cluster that includes at least one ESXi host.
• For information about I/O filters provided by third parties, contact your vendor or your VMware representative.

Install I/O Filters in a Cluster

If you use I/O filters provided by third parties, install the I/O filters in an ESXi host cluster.

VMware partners create I/O filters through the vSphere APIs for I/O Filtering (VAIO) developer program.

The filter packages are distributed as solution bundle ZIP packages that can include I/O filter daemons, I/O filter libraries, CIM providers, and other associated components.

Typically, to deploy the filters, you run installers provided by vendors. Installation is performed at an ESXi cluster lever. You cannot install the filters on selected hosts directly.

Note: If you plan to install I/O filters on the vSphere 7.0 and later cluster, your cluster cannot include ESXi 6.x hosts. Filters built using the vSphere 6.x VAIO program cannot work on ESXi 7.0 and later hosts because the CIM provider is 32-bit on ESXi 6.x and 64-bit on ESXi 7.0 and later. In turn, filters built using the vSphere 7.0 and later VAIO program are not supported on ESXi 6.x hosts.

Prerequisites

• Required privileges: Host.Configuration.Query patch.
• Verify that the I/O filter solution is certified by VMware.

Procedure

• ♦ Run the installer that the vendor provided.
  The installer deploys the appropriate I/O filter extension on vCenter Server and the filter components on all hosts within a cluster.

  A storage provider, also called a VASA provider, is automatically registered for every ESXi host in the cluster. Successful auto-registration of the I/O filter storage providers triggers an event at the host level. If the storage providers fail to auto-register, the system raises alarms on the hosts.

View I/O Filters and Storage Providers

Use the vSphere Client to review I/O filters available in your environment and verify that the I/O filter providers appear as expected and are active.

When you install a third-party I/O filter, a storage provider, also called VASA provider, is automatically registered for every ESXi host in the cluster. Successful auto-registration of the I/O filter storage providers triggers an event at the host level. If the storage providers fail to auto-register, the system raises alarms on the hosts.

Procedure

1. Verify that the I/O filter storage providers appear as expected and are active.
   1. Navigate to vCenter Server.
   2. Click the Configure tab, and click Storage Providers.
   3. Review the storage providers for I/O filters.
   When the I/O filter providers are properly registered, capabilities and data services that the filters offer populate the VM Storage Policies interface.
2. Verify that the I/O filter components are listed on your cluster and ESXi hosts.

   Option	Actions
   View I/O filters on a cluster	Navigate to the cluster. Click the Configure tab. Under Configuration, click I/O Filters to review the filters installed in the cluster.
   View I/O filters on a host	Navigate to the host. Click the Configure tab. Under Storage, click I/O Filters to review the filters installed on the host.