6.7

The component describes one type of service from one service provider. The services can vary
depending on the providers that you use, but generally belong in one of the following categories.
n
Compression
n
Caching
n
Encryption
n
Replication
When you create the storage policy component, you define the rules for one specific type and grade of
service.
The following example shows that virtual machines VM1 and VM2 have identical placement
requirements, but must have different grades of replication services. You can create the storage policy
components with different replication parameters and add these components to the related storage
policies.
Table 20‑2. Storage Policy Components
Virtual Machine Placement Rules Storage Policy Component
VM1 requires replication every 2 hours VVols Datastore 2-hour Replication
VM2 requires replication every 4 hours VVosl Datastore 4-hour Replication
The provider of the service can be a storage system, an I/O filter, or another entity. If the component
references an I/O filter, the component is added to the host-based rules of the storage policy.
Components that reference entities other than the I/O filters, for example, a storage system, are added to
the datastore-specific rule sets.
When you work with the components, follow these guidelines:
n
Each component can include only one set of rules. All characteristics in this rule set belong to a single
provider of the data services.
n
If the component is referenced in the VM storage policy, you cannot delete the component. Before
deleting the component, you must remove it from the storage policy or delete the storage policy.
n
When you add components to the policy, you can use only one component from the same category,
for example caching, per a set of rules.
Create Storage Policy Components
A storage policy component describes a single data service, such as replication, that must be provided for
the virtual machine. You can define the component in advance and associate it with multiple VM storage
policies. The components are reusable and interchangeable.
vSphere Storage
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