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Last updated: Jan 16, 2024

What are virtual volume and their components

Here you will find out:

  • what is vVol
  • what are VMware virtual volume components
  • when DiskInternals can help you

Are you ready? Let's read!

What is vVol?

VMware virtual volume

VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVols) is a framework technology that is responsible for NAS and SAN array virtualizations.

This is a new way of organizing storage in a form that is convenient for an array.

The array itself determines how to solve access problems and coordinates work with data for virtual machines.

vVols are an addition to the traditional NFS and VMFS.

For each virtual machine and its files, a separate vVol is created, and virtual disks can be managed independently.

You can create vVol datastores based on one or more base storage pools.

You can select a specific part of the pool, which will be used for data storage vVol and its associated vVols.

VMware virtual volume components

These are the main components of a vVol in VMware:

  1. 1. vSphere APIs for Storage Awareness (VASA). These provide external communication between the vCenter Server, ESXi hosts, and the storage system. One VASA provider can have several arrays at once. This component can be implemented on the management server or on the firmware of the array.
  1. 2. Storage Containers (SC): vVols uses non-traditional storage; i.e., a storage container, which is a pool of raw storage capacity or a set of storage capabilities. It is created and managed on the disk array side and is intended for logical grouping and isolation of virtual machines.
  1. 3. Protocol Endpoint (PE): through it, the ESXi host accesses the data for a specific virtual machine. PEs are compatible with current iSCSI, FC, and NFS protocols, and also allow you to use your existing SAN path management software.
  1. 4. Virtual data storage is a storage container similar to VMFS volumes in vCenter Server and vSphere Web Client. The disk array fully controls all storage expansion and upgrade operations.
  1. 5. Storage Policy-Based Management (SPBM) makes it possible for a disk array based on this policy to locate the VM on the desired storage. It also provides the necessary operations to ensure the desired level of performance.

VMware vVol characteristics

Pay attention to the basic requirements and characteristics of a VMware vVol:

  • Use encryption, replication, deduplication, and compression on separate virtual disks.
  • It is also possible to offload many tasks to storage equipment, namely the creation of cloning, snapshots, and DRS storage.
  • Support for vSphere vMotion, DRS, Storage vMotion services, snapshots, related clones, and Flash Read Cache.
  • To improve image performance with VMware virtual volume. You can use your own snapshot tools.
  • vVols with a standalone ESXi host cannot be used.
  • vVols does not support RDM.

VMware vVol benefits

  1. 1. vVols performs conversion perfectly when data services are at the application level.
  1. 2. There is general policy-based management.
  1. 3. You will be able to use storage with a granular level of training.

VMware VMFS disk recovery with DiskInternals

DiskInternals VMFS Recovery provides online VMware data recovery, VMFS recovery, and VMDK file recovery. The software quickly and effectively recovers information from both damaged and serviceable disks in VMFS format. Learn more about VMWare versus VirtualBox recovery!

You can connect virtual disks to local disks (available in Windows Explorer, etc.). In addition, VMFS Recovery supports Unicode and multi-level folder file names. Also, the Recovery Wizard will keep you from getting confused in the process of data recovery. But just in case, study the instructions for this unique application:

1. Download and install DiskInternals VMFS Recovery software on your PC.

2. Connect via SSH (if this is not necessary, skip this step).

3. Open the drive (local drive or SSH).

4. Wait for the scan to complete and find the necessary VMDK files.

5. Mount the VMDK file.

6. Open it and select the free file browsing function.

7. Purchase a license and complete data export.

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