Specifications

Administration Guide
250 VMware, Inc.
vmkfstools Syntax When Specifying a VMFS Volume or File
The!format!for!the!vmkfstools!command,!when!specifying!a!VMFS!volume!or!file,!is:
vmkfstools <options> <path>!
where!<path>!is!an!absolute!path!that!names!a!directory!or!a!file!under!the!/vmfs!
directory.!
For!example,!you!can!specify!a!VMFS!volume!by!a!path!such!as:
/vmfs/vmhba1:2:0:3
You!can!also!specify!a!single!
VMFS!file:
/vmfs/lun1/rh9.vmdk
vmkfstools Options
This!section!includes!a!list!of!all!the!options!used!with!the!vmkfstools!command.!
Some!of!the!tasks!in!this!section!include!options!that!are!suggested!for!advanced!users!
only.!These!advanced!options!are!not!available!through!the!VMware!Management!
Interface.
If!the!vmkfstools!command!fails,!and!you!don’t!know!why,!
check!the!log!files!in!
/var/log/vmkernel!or!use!the!management!interface!to!view!the!latest!warning.
To view the system log warnings
1Log!in!to!the!VMware!Management!Interface!as!root.
The!Status!Monitor!appears.
2Click!the!Options!tab.
3Click!System!Logs.
Basic vmkfstools Options
Basic!options!are!common!tasks!that!you!perform!frequently.!You!can!also!perform!
these!tasks!through!the!management!interface.!
N
OTE The!long!and!short!(single!letter)!forms!of!options!are!equivalent.!For!example,!the!
following!commands!are!identical:
vmkfstools --createfs vmfs2 --blocksize 2m --numfiles 32 vmhba1:3:0:1
vmkfstools -C vmfs2 -b 2m -n 32 vmhba1:3:0:1