Dell PowerStore 3000T EMC PowerStore Host Configuration Guide - Page 19

vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI) Settings, Confirming that VAAI is Enabled on the ESXi Host

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vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI) Settings PowerStore Storage cluster fully supports VAAI. VAAI must be enabled on the ESXi host before using PowerStore. VAAI is an API that offloads operations such as virtual machine provisioning, storage cloning, and space reclamation to storage clusters that supports VAAI. PowerStore clusters fully support VAAI. To ensure optimal performance of PowerStore storage from vSphere, VAAI must be enabled on the ESXi host before using PowerStore storage from vSphere. Failing to do so may expose the PowerStore cluster to the risk of datastores becoming inaccessible to the host. This section describes the necessary settings for configuring VAAI for PowerStore storage. Confirming that VAAI is Enabled on the ESXi Host Follow these instructions to confirm that VAAI is enabled on the ESXi host. About this task When using vSphere ESXi version 6.5 and above, VAAI is enabled by default. Before using the PowerStore storage, confirm that VAAI features are enabled on the ESXi host. Verify that the following parameters are enabled (that is, set to 1): • DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedMove • DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedInit • VMFS3.HardwareAcceleratedLocking If any of the above parameters are not enabled, click the Edit icon and click OK to adjust them. Setting the Maximum I/O Follow this guideline to set the maximum I/O request size for storage devices. Disk.DiskMaxIOSize determines the maximum I/O request size passed to storage devices. With PowerStore, it is required to change this parameter from 32767 (the default setting of 32MB) to 1024 (1MB). NOTE: For details on a possible Windows EFI boot issue with PowerStore storage (in case the above maximum I/O block size setting adjustment cannot be done), refer to VMware KB article 2137402 on the VMware website (https:// kb.vmware.com/s/article/2137402). This KB article also lists all ESXi versions that include a fix for this issue. With these versions the Disk.MaxIOSize setting adjustment to 1024 (1MB) is not required. In such cases, to avoid a potential host-side DU issue when upgrading the ESXi version on the host, make sure to refer to this KB and confirm that the target ESXi version also includes a fix for this Windows EFI boot issue. Confirming UNMAP Priority This topic provides steps for setting UNMAP priority on a DataStore. Prerequisites NOTE: Provisioning Virtual Disks with UNMAP set to a non-default priority on a DataStore provisioned on PowerStore may result in an increased amount of write I/Os to the storage subsystem. It is therefore highly recommended to keep UNMAP set to a default priority. NOTE: Refer to Dell EMC KB article SLN320477 (https://www.dell.com/support/article/sln320477) for further unmaprelated recommendations when doing VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) bootstorm or failover with VMware SRM (Site Recovery Manager) on VMFS datastores from ESXi hosts connected to PowerStore. To set UNMAP priority on a datastore: Steps 1. Access vSphere Client and locate the ESX Storage Configuartion panel. 2. Go to the Storage tab. Host Configuration for VMware vSphere ESXi 19

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vStorage API for Array Integration (VAAI) Settings
PowerStore Storage cluster fully supports VAAI. VAAI must be enabled on the ESXi host before using PowerStore.
VAAI is an API that offloads operations such as virtual machine provisioning, storage cloning, and space reclamation to storage clusters
that supports VAAI. PowerStore clusters fully support VAAI.
To ensure optimal performance of PowerStore storage from vSphere, VAAI must be enabled on the ESXi host before using PowerStore
storage from vSphere. Failing to do so may expose the PowerStore cluster to the risk of datastores becoming inaccessible to the host.
This section describes the necessary settings for configuring VAAI for PowerStore storage.
Confirming that VAAI is Enabled on the ESXi Host
Follow these instructions to confirm that VAAI is enabled on the ESXi host.
About this task
When using vSphere ESXi version 6.5 and above, VAAI is enabled by default. Before using the PowerStore storage, confirm that VAAI
features are enabled on the ESXi host.
Verify that the following parameters are enabled (that is, set to 1):
•
DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedMove
•
DataMover.HardwareAcceleratedInit
•
VMFS3.HardwareAcceleratedLocking
If any of the above parameters are not enabled, click the
Edit
icon and click
OK
to adjust them.
Setting the Maximum I/O
Follow this guideline to set the maximum I/O request size for storage devices.
Disk.DiskMaxIOSize
determines the maximum I/O request size passed to storage devices. With PowerStore, it is required to change
this parameter from 32767 (the default setting of 32MB) to 1024 (1MB).
NOTE:
For details on a possible Windows EFI boot issue with PowerStore storage (in case the above maximum I/O block
size setting adjustment cannot be done), refer to VMware KB article 2137402 on the VMware website (
https://
kb.vmware.com/s/article/2137402
). This KB article also lists all ESXi versions that include a fix for this issue. With
these versions the Disk.MaxIOSize setting adjustment to 1024 (1MB) is not required. In such cases, to avoid a potential
host-side DU issue when upgrading the ESXi version on the host, make sure to refer to this KB and confirm that the
target ESXi version also includes a fix for this Windows EFI boot issue.
Confirming UNMAP Priority
This topic provides steps for setting UNMAP priority on a DataStore.
Prerequisites
NOTE:
Provisioning Virtual Disks with UNMAP set to a non-default priority on a DataStore provisioned on PowerStore
may result in an increased amount of write I/Os to the storage subsystem. It is therefore highly recommended to keep
UNMAP set to a default priority.
NOTE:
Refer to Dell EMC KB article SLN320477 (
) for further unmap-
related recommendations when doing VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) bootstorm or failover with VMware SRM
(Site Recovery Manager) on VMFS datastores from ESXi hosts connected to PowerStore.
To set UNMAP priority on a datastore:
Steps
1.
Access vSphere Client and locate the
ESX Storage Configuartion
panel.
2.
Go to the
Storage
tab.
Host Configuration for VMware vSphere ESXi
19