Dell PowerStore 3000X EMC PowerStore Virtualization Infrastructure Guide - Page 8

Storage containers overview, Protocol Endpoints and vVols, PowerStore Manager operations

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Table 1. Types of vVols (continued) Management action vVols created Power on a VM Swap-vVol (.vswp) Create a snapshot of a VM ● Data-vVol (.vmdk) ● Memory-vVol (.vmem) Clone a VM ● Data-vVol (.vmdk)-Shown as type Clone in PowerStore Manager ● Config-vVol Add a virtual disk ● Data-vVol (.vmdk) ● Config-vVol-if a config-vVol of the same VM does not exist on the storage container On the PowerStore cluster, each vVol provisioned in vCenter Server is visible as a vVol in PowerStore Manager. For more information, see Storage containers overview on page 8. Protocol Endpoints and vVols A Protocol Endpoint is an internal object in storage systems and appliances that is required for working with vVols. A PowerStore cluster can manage vVols without a Protocol Endpoint, but the ESXi host cannot access the vVols. To gain access, ESXi hosts communicate with vVols through a Protocol Endpoint. The Protocol Endpoint serves as a logical I/O proxy that enables the ESXi host to establish data paths to vVols and their associated VMs. PowerStore clusters automatically create and provision Protocol Endpoints when adding an ESXi host. PowerStore X model appliances support only the iSCSI protocol for internal ESXi hosts, but support both iSCSI and Fibre Channel protocols for external hosts. PowerStore Manager operations For information about using vVols in PowerStore Manager, see Monitoring and managing vVols on page 20. Storage containers overview Storage containers on PowerStore appliances act as a logical grouping of vVols that enable vVols to map directly to the cluster. A storage container spans all appliances in a cluster and uses storage from each. On PowerStore appliances, vVols reside in storage containers, which enable vVols to map directly to an appliance within the PowerStore cluster. The specific appliance that a given vVol resides on is not visible to vSphere, and a vVol can migrate between appliances without disrupting vSphere operations. With storage containers, VMs or VMDKs can be managed independently. 8 Overview

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Table 1. Types of vVols (continued)
Management action
vVols created
Power on a VM
Swap-vVol (
.vswp
)
Create a snapshot of a VM
●
Data-vVol (
.vmdk
)
●
Memory-vVol (
.vmem
)
Clone a VM
●
Data-vVol (
.vmdk
)—Shown as type
Clone
in PowerStore Manager
●
Config-vVol
Add a virtual disk
●
Data-vVol (
.vmdk
)
●
Config-vVol—if a config-vVol of the same VM does not exist on the storage container
On the PowerStore cluster, each vVol provisioned in vCenter Server is visible as a vVol in PowerStore Manager. For more
information, see
Storage containers overview
on page 8.
Protocol Endpoints and vVols
A Protocol Endpoint is an internal object in storage systems and appliances that is required for working with vVols.
A PowerStore cluster can manage vVols without a Protocol Endpoint, but the ESXi host cannot access the vVols. To gain
access, ESXi hosts communicate with vVols through a Protocol Endpoint. The Protocol Endpoint serves as a logical I/O proxy
that enables the ESXi host to establish data paths to vVols and their associated VMs.
PowerStore clusters automatically create and provision Protocol Endpoints when adding an ESXi host. PowerStore X model
appliances support only the iSCSI protocol for internal ESXi hosts, but support both iSCSI and Fibre Channel protocols for
external hosts.
PowerStore Manager operations
For information about using vVols in PowerStore Manager, see
Monitoring and managing vVols
on page 20.
Storage containers overview
Storage containers on PowerStore appliances act as a logical grouping of vVols that enable vVols to map directly to the cluster.
A storage container spans all appliances in a cluster and uses storage from each. On PowerStore appliances, vVols reside in
storage containers, which enable vVols to map directly to an appliance within the PowerStore cluster. The specific appliance
that a given vVol resides on is not visible to vSphere, and a vVol can migrate between appliances without disrupting vSphere
operations. With storage containers, VMs or VMDKs can be managed independently.
8
Overview