6.0.1

Setting a Path Selection Policy
For each storage device, the ESXi host sets the path selection policy based on the claim rules.
By default, VMware supports the following path selection policies. If you have a third-party PSP installed
on your host, its policy also appears on the list.
Fixed (VMware)
The host uses the designated preferred path, if it has been congured.
Otherwise, it selects the rst working path discovered at system boot time. If
you want the host to use a particular preferred path, specify it manually.
Fixed is the default policy for most active-active storage devices.
N If the host uses a default preferred path and the path's status turns to
Dead, a new path is selected as preferred. However, if you explicitly
designate the preferred path, it will remain preferred even when it becomes
inaccessible.
Most Recently Used
(VMware)
The host selects the path that it used most recently. When the path becomes
unavailable, the host selects an alternative path. The host does not revert
back to the original path when that path becomes available again. There is no
preferred path seing with the MRU policy. MRU is the default policy for
most active-passive storage devices.
Round Robin (VMware)
The host uses an automatic path selection algorithm rotating through all
active paths when connecting to active-passive arrays, or through all
available paths when connecting to active-active arrays. RR is the default for
a number of arrays and can be used with both active-active and active-
passive arrays to implement load balancing across paths for dierent LUNs.
Change the Path Selection Policy
Generally, you do not need to change the default multipathing seings your host uses for a specic storage
device. However, if you want to make any changes, you can use the Edit Multipathing Policies dialog box to
modify a path selection policy and specify the preferred path for the Fixed policy. You can also use this
dialog box to change multipathing for SCSI-based protocol endpoints.
Procedure
1 Browse to the host in the vSphere Web Client navigator.
2 Click the Manage tab, and click Storage.
3 Click Storage Devices or Protocol Endpoints.
4 Select the item whose paths you want to change and click the Properties tab.
5 Under Multipathing Policies, click Edit Multipathing.
6 Select a path policy.
By default, VMware supports the following path selection policies. If you have a third-party PSP
installed on your host, its policy also appears on the list.
n
Fixed (VMware)
n
Most Recently Used (VMware)
n
Round Robin (VMware)
7 For the xed policy, specify the preferred path.
Chapter 17 Understanding Multipathing and Failover
VMware, Inc. 193