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About Multiple Datastore Selection

This improvisation in the HyWorks provisioning feature enables the deployment of virtual machines across multiple datastores. In small deployments where clusters lack common shared storage, the automatic distribution of virtual machines across multiple datastores facilitates easier deployment and more effective virtual machine distribution.

This document outlines the process and functional requirements for enabling VM deployment across multiple datastores, facilitating the balanced distribution of VMs across different datastores.

Supported Versions and Providers

  • HyWorks Controller: This feature is available with HyWorks v3.4-SP2 or later releases.

  • Hypervisor Support: The feature is currently supported only with VMware vCenter.

Datastore and Resource Selection Specifications

Admins can select datastores as needed while creating a desktop pool or editing an existing pool.

  • If multiple datastores are selected, the process for choosing a datastore for VM cloning is determined by three checks:

    • Datastore Free Space: Each selected datastore is evaluated in sequence. If the current datastore has more free space than the previous one, it moves on to the second check.

    • Datastore Overall Status: A new setting, Allowed VCenter Datastore Status, has been added under the Controller tag in Advanced Settings. The system checks each datastore's status against this setting. If the datastore’s status matches one in the Allowed VCenter Datastore Status, it proceeds with cloning; otherwise, that datastore is skipped.

    • Host Overall Status: A new field, Allowed VCenter Host Status, is also available under the Controller tag in Advanced Settings. While selecting the best host, the system evaluates the overall status of each host. If a host that meets the criteria is found, cloning proceeds; otherwise, that datastore is skipped. If no suitable datastore is found after these checks, an exception is raised with the message ”No datastore found”.

  • If a single datastore is selected, its overall status is verified. If it matches the Allowed VCenter Datastore Status, cloning proceeds; otherwise, an exception is raised.

  • Suppose no datastore is selected, but a resource pool is specified. In that case, the datastore with the most free space and an approved status, as determined by the Allowed VCenter Datastore Status setting, is chosen.

  • During host selection, the system checks the overall status of available hosts. Cloning proceeds if a suitable host is identified; otherwise, an exception is raised.

  • In the case of a linked clone, for the replica VM deployment setting, only a single datastore can be selected.

  • For linked clone VMs, multiple datastores can be selected, and the cloning process follows the same steps as those used for full clones.

Note

  • Do not select any resource. When multiple datastores are selected from different clusters, HyWorks will automatically select the best resource.

  • Avoid selecting resources from one cluster and data storage from another, as this can lead to cloning failures.

Examples

  1. Two datastores are selected: DS1 (free space: 1 TB, status: Green) and DS2 (free space: 2 TB, status: Gray). If the Allowed VCenter Datastore Status setting is configured as 'GREEN‘ or ’YELLOW’, the VM will be cloned using DS1, as DS1 meets both the space and status requirements.

  2. Two datastores are selected: DS1 (free space: 1 TB, status: Green) and DS2 (free space: 2TB, status: Yellow). With the Allowed VCenter Datastore Status set to 'GREEN‘ or ’YELLOW’, the VM will be cloned using DS2, as it has more available space and meets the required status criteria.

  3. Suppose no datastore meets the required space and status when multiple datastores are selected. In that case, an exception will be thrown with the message: Could not find a datastore with the required space and status specified in "Allowed VCenter Datastore Status" in the advanced settings.

  4. If no host matches the status specified in the advanced settings, an exception will be raised with the message: Could not find a host with the overall status specified in "Allowed VCenter Host Status" in advanced settings.

Steps to Configure the Deployment Settings

  1. Log in to the Management Console using administrative credentials.

  2. Navigate to VDI > Pools > Add/Edit Desktop Pool.

  3. Click the Deployment tab, enable the Cloned VMs Deployment Settings, and then click the Change Location button.

  4. A Deployment Settings window will appear.

  5. Expand the DC (data center) and select the Datastores and pool as required. In case of multiple datastore selections, please do not select any Resources pool.

  6. Click OK to finish and save the pool configuration.

Important

  • Multi-datastore selection is permitted only for the vCenter hypervisor.

  • It does not verify the datastore and host status of the Gold VM. If no datastore or resource is selected, it will use the datastore, resource, and host of its GM. In this case, it will not check the space or status.

  • Selecting a datastore from one cluster and a resource from another cluster is not recommended.