6.1 Understanding Repositories

Repositories are where VM and template files are stored. A datagrid’s repositories are displayed in the VM Client in the Storage view.

If a VM’s files are stored on a particular host server, that VM must be run from that host server. If a VM’s files are stored on a shared repository, that VM can be run on any host server that has access to the shared repository.

Host servers can have multiple repositories associated with them, and some repository types can be associated with multiple host servers as shared repositories. A host server can be associated with both repositories stored locally on its server and shared repositories stored on other machines.

The default size for all repositories is unlimited. To control disk space usage, you should change this default in the Development Client. For more information, see Step 9.

Review the following table for information about the various repository types used by the VM Client:

Table 6-1 Repository Types

Repository

Adapters

Image File Path

Description

Datagrid

All

grid:///vms

The shared repository (named ZOS) on the Orchestrate Server that is accessible to all host servers in the datagrid. Each datagrid has one shared ZOS repository.

Local

All

The default paths are:

  • Physical location: / (root), or /var/xen/images, which is the physical location of the VM’s files.

  • Preferred Path: var/lib/xen/images, which is the relative path from the location to search and place VM files for moving or cloning.

  • Configuration Search Path: /etc/xen/vm, which is the relative path from the location to search for VM configuration files.

The default repository on a host server. Each host server starts with its own local repository, which has the same name as the server’s hostname.

NAS (Network Attached Storage)

All.

The default paths are:

  • Physical location: /u, or /mnt/myshareddisk, which is the physical location of the VM’s files. This is the mount point that is assumed to be the same on every host server that has a connection to this NAS.

  • Preferred Path: my_vms, which is the relative path from the location to search and place VM files for moving or cloning.

  • Configuration Search Path: my_vms, saved_vms, or null (no path entry), each of which is the relative path from the location to search for VM configuration files. Null specifies to search the whole mount.

An NFS mount repository that can be shared, if it is not on a host server.

SAN (Storage Area Network)

All

N/A

A remote storage location that can be configured as a shared store for VM images (which can be moved) or a block-based disk used by a single VM. It must be configured as either iSCSI or Fibre Channel. It must also be set to either iSCSI Qualified Name, NPIV, or EMC.

The modeling of SAN storage requires special setup, particularly when configured as shared storage where, typically, LUN masks are created for each of the hosts with visibility to the SAN.

Virtual

VMware Virtual Center

N/A

An externally managed VM’s virtual disk (VMware Virtual Center), so no path is required.