6.5.1

Table Of Contents
CLI
API/SDK
Storage
Vendors
Storage
Vendors
Storage
Vendors
I/O Filter
Vendors
UI
Virtual
Volumes
Traditional
(VMFS, NFS)
vSAN
Storage Policy-Based Management (SPBM)
vSphere APIs for IO Filtering (VAIO)
SPBM offers the following mechanisms:
n
Advertisement of storage capabilities and data services that storage arrays and other entities, such
as I/O filters, offer.
n
Bidirectional communications between ESXi and vCenter Server on one side, and storage arrays and
entities on the other.
n
Virtual machine provisioning based on VM storage policies.
Virtual Machine Storage Policies
One of the aspects of SPBM is virtual machine storage policies, which are essential to virtual machine
provisioning. The policies control which type of storage is provided for the virtual machine and how the
virtual machine is placed within storage. They also determine data services that the virtual machine can
use.
vSphere offers default storage policies. In addition, you can define policies and assign them to the virtual
machines.
You use the VM Storage Policies interface to create a storage policy. When you define the policy, you
specify various storage requirements for applications that run on the virtual machines. You can also use
storage policies to request specific data services, such as caching or replication, for virtual disks.
You apply the storage policy when you create, clone, or migrate the virtual machine. After you apply the
storage policy, the SPBM mechanism assists you with placing the virtual machine in a matching
datastore. In certain storage environments, SPBM determines how the virtual machine storage objects
are provisioned and allocated within the storage resource to guarantee the required level of service. The
SPBM also enables requested data services for the virtual machine and helps you to monitor policy
compliance.
vSphere Storage
VMware, Inc. 235