6.7

Using vmkfstools 26
vmkfstools is one of the ESXi Shell commands for managing VMFS volumes, storage devices, and
virtual disks. You can perform many storage operations using the vmkfstools command. For example,
you can create and manage VMFS datastores on a physical partition, or manipulate virtual disk files,
stored on VMFS or NFS datastores.
Note After you make a change using the vmkfstools, the vSphere Client might not be updated
immediately. Use a refresh or rescan operation from the client.
For more information on the ESXi Shell, see Getting Started with vSphere Command-Line Interfaces.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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vmkfstools Command Syntax
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The vmkfstools Command Options
vmkfstools Command Syntax
Generally, you do not need to log in as the root user to run the vmkfstools commands. However, some
commands, such as the file system commands, might require the root user login.
The vmkfstools command supports the following command syntax:
vmkfstools options target.
Target specifies a partition, device, or path to apply the command option to.
Table 26‑1. vmkfstools Command Arguments
Argument Description
options One or more command-line options and associated arguments that you use to specify
the activity for vmkfstools to perform. For example, selecting the disk format when
creating a new virtual disk.
After entering the option, specify a target on which to perform the operation. Target can
indicate a partition, device, or path.
partition Specifies disk partitions. This argument uses a disk_ID:P format, where disk_ID is the
device ID returned by the storage array and P is an integer that represents the partition
number. The partition digit must be greater than zero (0) and must correspond to a
valid VMFS partition.
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