ESX Partitioning
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AQRs60J__1-TZGY5bXg1NjNfMTI3MjI0ZnB2ZGo&hl=en
Rename the local VMFS partition during installation. The default name is “Storage1″, but should be “local-<hostname>”.
ESX hosts have required and optional partitions. These are suggestions and can be increased if more disk space is available.
| Mount Point | Size(m) | Description |
| / | 5120 | The / (or “root”) partition stores the ESX system and all files not stored in another custom partition. If this partition is filled to capacity, the ESX host could crash. This is bad. |
| swap | 1600 | |
| /var | 2048 | The /var partition stores most system logs. Creating a custom /var partition provides substantial, dedicated log storage space (/var/log) while protecting the / partition from being filled by log files. Normally /var is part of the / partition. |
| /var/log | 4096 | The /var partition stores most system logs. Creating a custom /var partition provides substantial, dedicated log storage space (/var/log) while protecting the / partition from being filled by log files. Normally /var is part of the / partition. |
| /var/core | 15360 | The /var partition stores most system logs. Creating a custom /var partition provides substantial, dedicated log storage space (/var/log) while protecting the / partition from being filled by log files. Normally /var is part of the / partition. |
| /opt | 2048 | |
| /home | 2048 | The /home partition is created as a failsafe to help prevent / from filling up. Service console accounts (not vCenter) each have an associated /home folder. As a best practice, administrators should not use these folders for storage. If service console accounts are to be used and there are multiple users requiring access, the size of this partition may need to be increased. By default, /home is part of the / partition. By creating a custom partition for it the / partition will be protected if /home fills to capacity. |
| /vmimages | 1024 | Traditionally, /vmimages was used to store CD-ROM images (.ISOs) and Floppy Disk images (.flp, .img). However, most organizations following best-practices have moved this from each individual host to a single shared-storage location. However, by default ESX creates a /vmimages folder within / . This makes it dangerously easy for an Administrator to mistake it for the shared-storage repository and copy images into it that will fill / . As a failsafe to help prevent this, a small custom /vmimages partition can be created. If the local /vmimages folder is actually used, this size may need to be increased. |
| /tmp | 2048 | The /tmp partition is also created as a failsafe to help prevent filling the / partition. /tmp is often used to untar support files, temporarily store copied logs and stage patches. By default, /tmp is part of the / partition. By creating a custom partition for it the / partition will be protected if /tmp fills to capacity. |
/boot and vmkcore are physical partitions. /, swap, /var/log, and all the optional partitions are stored on a virtual disk called esxconsole-<system-uuid>/esxconsole.vmdk. The virtual disk is stored in a VMFS volume.
You cannot define the sizes of the /boot, vmkcore, and /vmfs partitions when you use the graphical or text installation modes. You can define these partition sizes when you do a scripted installation.
ESX Required Partitions
/boot ext3 The ESX boot disk requires 1.25GB of free space and includes the /boot and vmkcore partitions. The /boot partition alone requires 1100MB.
The boot drive usually defaults to the specified /boot partition location.
Stores information required to boot the ESX host system.
/ ext3 Calculated dynamically based on the size of the /usr partition. By default, the minimum size is 5GB and no /usr partition is defined.
Contains the ESX operating system and services, accessible through the service console. Also contains third-party add-on services or applications you install.
The service console must be installed on a VMFS datastore that is resident on a host’s local disk or on a SAN disk that is masked and zoned to that particular host only.
Used to store virtual machines.
You can create any number of VMFS volumes on each LUN if the space is available.
vmkcore The ESX boot disk requires 1.25GB of free space and includes the /boot and vmkcore partitions. The /boot partition alone requires 1100MB.
Used to store core dumps for debugging and technical support.
If multiple ESX hosts share a SAN, configure a vmkcore partition with 100MB for each host.
Optional Partitions
You can create optional partitions during or after the ESX installation procedure.
/home ext3 512MB Virtual disk in a VMFS volume Used for storage by individual users.
/tmp ext3 1024MB Virtual disk in a VMFS volume Used to store temporary files.
/usr ext3 Virtual disk in a VMFS volume Used for user programs and data.
/var/log ext3 2000MB Virtual disk in a VMFS volume Used to store log files.
Reference
- http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40_u1/vsp_40_u1_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf
- http://vmetc.com/2009/07/22/best-practices-for-vsphere-esx-4-service-console-partitions/
- http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/05/27/partitioning-your-esx-host-part-ii/
- vSphere documentation with all the kickstart params and definitions: http://pubs.vmware.com/vsp40/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm#href=install/c_scripted_installation_of_esx.html&single=true
- You’ll probably be most interested in this page: http://pubs.vmware.com/vsp40/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm#href=install/r_ks_commands.html#1_16_9_17_1&single=true
- Setting up a VMKcore partition to capture purple screen output:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1000328 - Also, Mike La Spina has a great post for kickstart sample for vSphere ESX 4: http://blog.laspina.ca/ubiquitous/automating-vsphere-esx4-host-installations
- http://blog.colovirt.com/2009/08/06/vmware-vsphere-esx-4-server-partitioning/
Kickstart Example:
#System bootloader configuration
#bootloader –driveorder=/dev/sda –location=mbr
#Disk partitioning information
part /boot –fstype=ext3 –size=250 –ondisk=/dev/sda
part :storage1 –fstype=vmfs3 –size=10000 –grow –ondisk=/dev/sda
part none –fstype=vmkcore –size=110 –ondisk=/dev/sda
# Create the .vmdk for the cos on the vmfs partition.
virtualdisk esxconsole –size=7712 –onvmfs=$host:storage1
# Partitioning the cos virtual disk.
part swap –fstype=swap –size=800 –onvirtualdisk=esxconsole
part /var/log –fstype=ext3 –size=2048 –onvirtualdisk=esxconsole
part / –fstype=ext3 –size=3030 –grow –onvirtualdisk=esxconsole