ESX 3.x Commands - VMFS Datastores

VMFS Datastores

Command Options:
/usr/sbin/vmkfstools -h
No valid command specified

OPTIONS FOR FILE SYSTEMS:
vmkfstools -C --createfs vmfs3
-b --blocksize #[mMkK]
-S --setfsname fsName
-Z --extendfs extension-partition
deviceName
-P --queryfs -h --humanreadable
-T --tovmfs3
-x --upgradetype [zeroedthick|eagerzeroedthick|thin]
-u --upgradefinish
vmfsPath

OPTIONS FOR VIRTUAL DISKS:
vmkfstools -c --createvirtualdisk #[gGmMkK]
-d --diskformat [zeroedthick|
eagerzeroedthick|
thick|
thin]
-a --adapterType [buslogic|lsilogic]
-w --writezeros
-j --inflatedisk
-U --deletevirtualdisk
-E --renamevirtualdisk srcDisk
-i --clonevirtualdisk srcDisk
-d --diskformat [rdm:|rdmp:|
raw:|thin|2gbsparse|
monoflat|monosparse]
-X --extendvirtualdisk #[gGmMkK]
-M --migratevirtualdisk
-r --createrdm /vmfs/devices/disks/...
-q --queryrdm
-z --createrdmpassthru /vmfs/devices/disks/...
-v --verbose #
-g --geometry
-J --miscop [setuuid | getuuid]
vmfsPath

OPTIONS FOR DEVICES:
vmkfstools -s --scan adapterName
-L --lock [reserve|release|lunreset|targetreset|busreset] /vmfs/devices/disks/...

Create a VMFS volume on a LUN (ESX 3.x)
vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -S label vmhba1:0:2:1

Identify disks attached to the ESX server including SAN LUNs (ESX 3.x)
vdf -h

Read Metadata from VMFS volumes (ESX 3.x)
vmkfstools -P /vmfs/volumes/LUN-A1

Add and extent to a datastore (ESX 3.x)
vmkfstools -Z vmhba1:0:12:1 vmhba1:0:11:1

Delete an extended volume (ESX 3.x)
vmkfstools -C vmfs3 -S LUNB vmhba1:0:12:1

Rename a VMFS datastore (ESX 3.x)
ls -laF /vmfs/volumes/
Note down the id of the volume linked to the datastore you want to rename (e.g. /vmfs/volumes/854a7-01...).
rm -rf /vmfs/volumes/oldname
ln -s /vmfs/volumes/854a7-01... /vmfs/volumes/newname