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Table Of Contents
5 Click OK.
Configure Flash Read Cache for a Virtual Machine
You can configure a Flash Read Cache for your virtual machine. When you enable Flash Read Cache,
you can specify the block size and cache size reservation.
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Block size is the minimum number of contiguous bytes that can be stored in the cache. This block
size can be larger than the nominal disk block size of 512 bytes, between 4 KB and 1024 KB. If a
guest operating system writes a single 512-byte disk block, the surrounding cache block size bytes
are cached. Do not confuse the cache block size with the disk block size.
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Reservation is a reservation size for cache blocks. There is a minimum number of 256 cache blocks.
If the cache block size is 1 MB, then the minimum cache size is 256 MB. If the cache block size is 4
K, then the minimum cache size is 1 MB.
For more information about sizing guidelines, search for the Performance of vSphere Flash Read Cache
in VMware vSphere white paper on the VMware website.
Prerequisites
Set up a virtual flash resource on your client computer.
Procedure
1 Right-click a virtual machine in the inventory and select Edit Settings.
2 On the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Hard disk to view the disk menu items.
3 Enter a value in the Virtual Flash Read Cache text box.
4 (Optional) Select a block size and a cache size reservation.
Client Steps
vSphere Client You cannot specify block size and cache size reservation in the vSphere Client.
vSphere Web Client a Next to the Virtual flash read cache text box, click Advanced.
The Virtual Flash Read Cache Settings dialog box opens.
b Click Enable virtual Flash Read Cache.
c In the Reservation text box, enter the cache size reservation, and select the
units from the drop-down menu.
d From the Block Size drop-down menu, select the block size.
e Click OK.
5 Click OK.
Determine the Virtual Disk Format and Convert a Virtual Disk from
the Thin Provision Format to a Thick Provision Format
When the disk space is exhausted and a thin-provisioned disk cannot expand, the virtual machine cannot
boot. If you created a virtual disk in the thin provision format, you can convert it to the thick provision
format.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
VMware, Inc. 105