heybuzzzz wrote:
Thanks...
So after I create the RAID 5 array with a spare using the 8 x 146 gig drives will the exi5 install break it out or do I need to create the partition for the ESXi and then the other for the .vmdks's?
There seems to be disconnect on how ESX works. ESX is only a virtual machine host, it's not really an OS. It boots, it starts VM's, it doesn't actually do anything else.
There is no reason to have a separate partition for ESX, group ALL the disks together, create ONE huge datastore, let ESX install on the same datastore as VM's.
I wouldn't even keep a spare.. RAID 5 can handle a failed drive, that's why RAID was invented.. spare is a waste, you are losing IOPS in CASE something happens, that's why the make alerts.. If you are concerned about failure, use RAID 6, but still include ALL disks, no spares as ONE datastore. That's how I have done ALL my installs, ZERO issues.