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How to manage storage volumes for attaching to VMs and VMs created and running on storage volumes in the hybrid cloud platform. |
Manage persistent volumes
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Creating a volume of managed storage
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| title | API DocumentationFor the Abiquo API documentation of this feature, see Abiquo API Resources and the page for this resource VolumesResource. |
To create a new volume of integrated storage, select the virtual datacenter, click the button and complete the form:
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Field | Description |
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Virtual datacenter | The Virtual datacenter where the volume will be created |
Name | The name of the volume |
Description | A description of the volume |
Total size | Select the maximum size of the volume |
Tier | The Tier (service level) of the volume |
Controller type | Select from the list of supported controller types: IDE, SCSI, SATA (ESXi), VIRTIO (KVM). The administrator can configure a default controller:
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Controller | On ESXi only. The user can create multiple SCSI controllers and more than one of each type. The Default value is: VirtualLsiLogicController or the controller defined by the system administrator. This controller is used if a virtual machine is deployed with no SCSI controller or SCSI disks. The user can enter text in the Controller field and these controllers would be created depending on if the text contains:
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After you create the volume, to attach it to a VM, edit the VM and go to the Storage tab. See VM storage
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To edit a volume, select the volume and click the edit button. For managed storage volumes, you can modify the Controller type, and on ESXi you can also modify the Controller.
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Resizing integrated storage volumes
You can only increase volume size of managed storage volumes, not generic iSCSI storage volumes. After you change the size, remember to enlarge the partitions and file system.
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Resize iSCSI volumes on VMwareOn ESXi hypervisors to resize disks you must have iSCSI disks on SCSI controllers with thin provisioning. See VMware knowledge base article. The VM must not have VMware snapshots. VMware snapshots may be part of your cloud provider's backup strategy. If you cannot resize a volume as expected, please contact your System Administrator. |
Integrated storage volumes can be resized but only to increase their size. Abiquo does not allow you to make a volume smaller, so as to prevent data loss. This might be because you need additional space on a hard disk, for example, to add service packs/hotfixes, logs, increased swap disk space or temporary system disk space, or for growing installed applications. To resize a volume, first power off the VM the volume is attached to.
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Using expanded disksExpanding a disk can damage the data or operating system installed on the disk. You may need to apply additional operating system tools or processes before you can use an expanded disk, for example, resizing partitions and filesystems. |
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To change the virtual datacenter of a volume,
Go to Virtual datacenters → Storage
Drag the volume into the new virtual datacenter in the V. Datacenters list
Click Confirm on the popup to complete the move.
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Deleting a volume
Notes about deleting volumes:
You can only delete or remove volumes that are NOT attached to a VM.
You cannot delete persistent template volumes if they are used in a virtual appliance.
When you delete a an Integrated storage volume, it will be deleted in the disk cabinet and the data on the volume will be destroyed.
When you delete a generic iSCSI volume, it will be removed from Abiquo (without deleting it in the disk cabinet).
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If you are working with volumes on VMware hypervisors, do not use the option "delete from disk" because the volume may be destroyed. |
To delete a volume:
Select the volume
Click the trash delete button.
Create a persistent VM template from a standard template
You can create persistent VM templates by saving standard VM templates to volumes. The platform stores the system disks of VMs with persistent VM templates on external storage volumes. The platform does not delete the changes to these disks when you undeploy these VMs.
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Functionality not available in public cloud regionsThis functionality is not available in public cloud regions |
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To create a persistent VM do the following steps:
Go to Virtual datacenters → Persistent VM templates
Click the + add button
Select the master or instance template that you would like to save to the persistent volume.
Enter a Name to identify the persistent template.
Select the Disks to save, and a Tier for creating each volume, and optionally enter the Volume name
If you wish to create more persistent templates, select the Keep dialog open checkbox.
To create the template, click Start
When a persistent template is complete, it will be available to create VMs in the virtual appliance.
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To modify a persistent template:
Go to Virtual datacenters → Persistent VM templates
Select the template and from the options menu select Edit
You can edit the template in a similar way as a standard template. See Modify a VM template.
Move persistent templates between virtual datacenters
To move persistent templates between virtual datacenters:
Go to Virtual datacenters → Persistent VM templates
Drag a persistent template that is not deployed from the template list to another virtual datacenter in the Virtual datacenters list.
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Delete persistent templates
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Persistent VM templates are available on the Persistent VM tab of the virtual appliance templates panel. You can create a single VM from the persistent VM template and deploy it in the usual way. A VM with a persistent system disk has a disk symbol on the VM icon. When you undeploy the persistent VM, the volume will remain intact and the persistent VM will return to the Persistent VM tab.
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When you deploy a persistent VM, the persistent template moves to the virtual appliance and is no longer available in the virtual datacenter.
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To access information about the persistent VM's external disks, click on the Storage panel.
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To delete the persistent VM template:
Go to Virtual datacenters → Persistent VM Templates
Select the template and click the trash delete button
Persistent volumes
What happens when I create a volume and attach it to a VM?
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Persistent VM templates
There are two provisioning approaches supported by the Abiquo platform: non-persistent and persistent. This is a simple example with only one persistent disk.
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The Persistent approach: Abiquo provisions the VM and the persistent disk is located on external storage. When the user undeploys the virtual appliance, the VM data is kept on the volume of external storage.
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Persistent template volumes on ESXi
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The following diagram shows a simplified example of the persistent template process for a single persistent system disk.
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Related pages
Work with VMs
Administer virtual resources
Configure datacenter storage, see Storage