Step 1, ssh to the ESXi server
by default, ssh is not enabled, so enable and start the service, then use putty to connect to the ESXi server.
Step 2, create mapping link
I am creating the vmdk link to the physical drive 840 EVO and Samsung 830 EVO on ssd1tb which is another SSD already in my system.
If you create the vmdk on the target physical drive, it will failed in the later step "adding existing hdd" with errors like ""Incompatible device backing specified for device 5".
Step 3 Add new SCSI controller
You may need to change the "Disk Compatibility" from Physical to Virtual, then you can change the "Disk Mode" to "Independent - persistent". It is a raw mapped physical disk, so snapshots is not supported. This step is mentioned by others, but I don’t think it is necessary, as “independent - persistent “ should not apply to physical disks.
by default, ssh is not enabled, so enable and start the service, then use putty to connect to the ESXi server.
Step 2, create mapping link
- get the disk id using "ls -l /vmfs/devices/disks"
Code:
ls -l /vmfs/devices/disks- creat vmdk link to the target ssd
Code:
vmkfstools -z /vmfs/devices/disks/t10.ATA_____Samsung_SSD_840_EVO_250GB_______________S1DBNSBF442715E_____ /vmfs/volumes/ssd1tb/vdisks/ss840_rdm_1.vmdk
vmkfstools -z /vmfs/devices/disks/t10.ATA_____SAMSUNG_SSD_830_Series__________________S0Z4NEAC801058______ /vmfs/volumes/ssd1tb/vdisks/ss830_rdm_1.vmdkI am creating the vmdk link to the physical drive 840 EVO and Samsung 830 EVO on ssd1tb which is another SSD already in my system.
If you create the vmdk on the target physical drive, it will failed in the later step "adding existing hdd" with errors like ""Incompatible device backing specified for device 5".
Step 3 Add new SCSI controller
You may need to change the "Disk Compatibility" from Physical to Virtual, then you can change the "Disk Mode" to "Independent - persistent". It is a raw mapped physical disk, so snapshots is not supported. This step is mentioned by others, but I don’t think it is necessary, as “independent - persistent “ should not apply to physical disks.