Managing vVols

Create vVols child pools, resize the storage capacity of a vVols child pool, register the storage provider in vCenter, and perform other tasks to manage vVols.

Creating a vVols child pool

Additional child pools can be created for vVols by using the management GUI or the command-line interface. Each vVols child pool is presented as a storage container in vSphere, on which a vVols data store can be created.

To use the GUI to create a child pool for vVols, specify the VASA ownership group and provisioning policy when you create the child pool.

To use the command-line interface, use the following command:
mkmdiskgrp -name <vVol_child_pool_name> -owner vvol_child_pool -ownershipgroup VASA -parentmdiskgrp <parent_pool> -provisioningpolicy <policy> -size <size> -unit <unit>

The parent pool must be a standard storage pool. Data reduction pools are not supported for vVols.

If the new child pool will be used with vVols replication, add a pool link between the new pools on each system. Use the Pools window on the management GUI to add pool links for replication from either system.

After creating a new vVol child pool, the vCenter Server administrator must rescan the Storage Provider in vSphere to refresh the available storage containers before creating a new vVols data store.

Resizing a vVols child pool

The storage administrator can increase or decrease the amount of storage capacity that is allocated to a vVols child pool by using the management GUI or the command-line interface.

After changing the capacity of a child pool, the vCenter Server administrator must refresh the datastore capacity information in vSphere to detect the new capacity.

Considerations before updating the system software

The system operates with limited functionality during the software update process. During this time, no configuration changes can be made to the system and vVols functions are reduced.

In vSphere, consider the following:

  • Any virtual machines that are powered on continue to function.
  • The Storage Provider may appear as offline.
  • The vVols datastores may appear as inaccessible.
  • Any powered off virtual machines on vVols datastores appear as inaccessible.
  • Any attempt to perform VM-level management operations fail. These include, for example: power on and off, snapshots, vMotion, Storage vMotion, and cloning.

Re-registering the Storage Provider in vCenter

If the Storage Provider needs to be removed and re-registered in vCenter, use the following command to remove the stored certificate and specify a temporary password for the VASA user account.
chuser -nocertuid -password <new_password> <VASA user ID>

These credentials are only used when registering the Storage Provider in vCenter. After successful registration, the password is removed and the user account is automatically reconfigured with a certificate for authentication.

Changing the system management IP address or DNS name

If the IP address, hostname or fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) specified in the Subject Alternative Name field of the system certificate is changed, a new system certificate must be generated using either the internal or external certificate authority. After generating the certificate, the storage Provider must be reregistered in vCenter (see Reregistering the Storage Provider in vCenter).

User accounts

The user account created when enabling vVols is initially configured with a username and password. These credentials are only used when first registering the Storage Provider in vCenter. After successful registration, the password is removed and the user account is instead, automatically reconfigured with a certificate.

If any manual vVols-related service or recovery tasks are required on the storage system, the storage administrator must log in using a user account with the VASA Provider role. This can either be a new user in the same user group, or the same user account that the storage provider was registered with.

To create a new user account, use the following command:
mkuser –usergrp VASAProvider –name <new user> -password <password>
To configure a password for the existing user account, use the following command:
chuser -password <password> <vvol_user_name>