VMware Virtual Volumes

VMware virtual volumes (vVols) allow you to manage virtual machines (VMs) and their data (such as VMDKs and physical disks) without having to know details about the underlying storage. The ability to manage vVols using VMware virtual disks mapped to native storage containers is a new feature in vSphere 6.0.

Support for vVols means that an HPE array volume can reside in a VASA Provider storage container. Each folder with a vVol agent type is exported to the vCenter Server as a storage container. A capability profile–a group of storage capabilities–is applied to the storage containers. Each storage container supports all VM workflows (create, clone, snapshot, migrate, delete, HA/DRS).An HPE array supports up to 64 storage containers.

Both vVols and regular volumes can exist on the same array or set of arrays (group or pool). vVols appear in the CLI and GUI as regular volumes. You can monitor their capacity and performance from the array. However, you must use the vCenter Server UI to manage vVols.

Multiple VASA Provider services can register with multiple vCenter Servers on the array.

NOTE: vCenter Server registration is different from the HPE vCenter Plugin registration, which can be registered with multiple vCenters.

HPE supports as many vVols as volumes per group. Analytics for these vVols are provided using HPE InfoSight.

NOTE: Refer to the Volume entry in the System Limits for volume limits per array model.