6.7

The storage provider delivers information from the underlying storage container. The storage container
capabilities appear in vCenter Server and the vSphere Client. Then, in turn, the storage provider
communicates virtual machine storage requirements, which you can define in the form of a storage policy,
to the storage layer. This integration process ensures that a virtual volume created in the storage layer
meets the requirements outlined in the policy.
Typically, vendors are responsible for supplying storage providers that can integrate with vSphere and
provide support to Virtual Volumes. Every storage provider must be certified by VMware and properly
deployed. For information about deploying and upgrading the Virtual Volumes storage provider to a
version compatible with current ESXi release, contact your storage vendor.
After you deploy the storage provider, you must register it in vCenter Server, so that it can communicate
with vSphere through the SMS.
Storage Containers
Unlike traditional LUN and NFS-based storage, the Virtual Volumes functionality does not require
preconfigured volumes on a storage side. Instead, Virtual Volumes uses a storage container. It is a pool of
raw storage capacity or an aggregation of storage capabilities that a storage system can provide to virtual
volumes.
A storage container is a part of the logical storage fabric and is a logical unit of the underlying hardware.
The storage container logically groups virtual volumes based on management and administrative needs.
For example, the storage container can contain all virtual volumes created for a tenant in a multitenant
deployment, or a department in an enterprise deployment. Each storage container serves as a virtual
volume store and virtual volumes are allocated out of the storage container capacity.
Typically, a storage administrator on the storage side defines storage containers. The number of storage
containers, their capacity, and their size depend on a vendor-specific implementation. At least one
container for each storage system is required.
Note A single storage container cannot span different physical arrays.
After you register a storage provider associated with the storage system, vCenter Server discovers all
configured storage containers along with their storage capability profiles, protocol endpoints, and other
attributes. A single storage container can export multiple capability profiles. As a result, virtual machines
with diverse needs and different storage policy settings can be a part of the same storage container.
Initially, all discovered storage containers are not connected to any specific host, and you cannot see
them in the vSphere Client. To mount a storage container, you must map it to a Virtual Volumes datastore.
Protocol Endpoints
Although storage systems manage all aspects of virtual volumes, ESXi hosts have no direct access to
virtual volumes on the storage side. Instead, ESXi hosts use a logical I/O proxy, called the protocol
endpoint, to communicate with virtual volumes and virtual disk files that virtual volumes encapsulate.
ESXi uses protocol endpoints to establish a data path on demand from virtual machines to their
respective virtual volumes.
vSphere Storage
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