I have a need to support an 8TB filesystem within a Win2k8 guest system running on VMWare. From what I've read online, the maximum size VMDK I can create is 2T, is this still the case? Will I need to create some kind of dynamic disk methodology across multiple VMDKs?

We do this already on physical boxes with just a straight 8T LUN and a GPT disk in windows.

link|improve this question
feedback

3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

Which version of VMWare are you using? The single VMDK maximum size is still 2TB with ESXi 5.0 and VMFS-5, but you have the option of presenting storage directly to your VM via passthrough or just spanning multiple VMDK's within your guest OS.

The maximum size of a VMDK on VMFS-5 is still 2TB -512 bytes.
The maximum size of a non-passthru (virtual) RDM on VMFS-5 is still 2TB -512 bytes.
The maximum number of LUNs that are supported on an ESXi 5.0 host is still 256.
link|improve this answer
feedback

There's still a 2TB .VMDK limit even on VMFS5 partitioned datastores but you can add a >2TB RDM (on a VMFS5 datastore) in physical mode using vSphere 5.

link|improve this answer
feedback

2TB did used to be the limt. However. the new version of VMFS (VMFS-5) in vSphere 5 supports 64TB Volumes.

As long as you have a support arrangement you can upgrade to vSphere 5 from earlier versions

link|improve this answer
VMFS5=>2TB extents yes, but you're still limited in .vmdk creation. – Chopper3 Nov 18 '11 at 15:31
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.