ABSTRACT

Shared storage is a vital component of the VMware computing environment. In shared storage, the unused storage space is available to every Elastic Sky X Integrated (ESXi) host. The shared storage allows application software to be shared by multiple ESXi hosts. This chapter explores the infrastructure of a shared storage system. It examines the role played by a storage array in supporting virtualization and cloud computing. The chapter focuses on how to design a storage array to meet the requirements of a VMware infrastructure. It explains the implementation and configuration of shared storage. There are a large number of storage devices to choose on the market, and the storage devices can be configured in many ways. The ultimate goal of the design of a storage system is to make sure that the system meets the requirements. As a key component of the VMware computing environment, the storage array should meet the requirements of reliability, capacity, connectivity, compatibility, affordability, and performance.