Network mode and Direct Storage Access

[dbr]

Hi all,

I've filed a support case after upgrade from 9.0 U2 to 9.5 U1. I had configured our proxies to use network mode only (recommended for 10g Ethernet) and addtionally enabled to backup from storage snapshots (NetApp). After upgrade jobs failed because no proxy is available that is capable to backup from storage snaps. Support told me that this was a bug in version 9.0. In version 9.5 you have to select at least Direct Storage Access. Even though it looked like network mode in 9.0 was used, support double checked: it wasn't. Anyway, wouldn't it be possible to retrieve data from storage snaps via network mode (via VMware api) because basically the ESX host has already access to san? That would simplify proxy and ESX network setup a lot. Could this be an idea for future versions? At this time I have to add a network link to storage san for every proxy, right?

Daniel

[Gostev]

Anyway, wouldn't it be possible to retrieve data from storage snaps via network mode (via VMware api) because basically the ESX host has already access to san?

No, this is not possible because VDDK (which is what we would need for NBD through ESXi management network) can only pull data from the VM snapshot, which is deleted as soon as the storage snapshot is created. Not to mention that ESXi can only pull from the production datastore itself, while we need to be reading the storage snapshot instead.

[foggy]

At this time I have to add a network link to storage san for every proxy, right?

Please see the proxy server requirements here.

[dbr]

That sounds plausible to me. Thank you guys for detailed explanation.