Skip to main content
FlexPod

ESXi configuration best practices

Contributors
PDFs

For the ESXi host-side configuration, configure the VMware hosts as you would run any enterprise database workload:

  • VSC for VMware vSphere checks and sets the ESXi host multipathing settings and HBA timeout settings that work best with NetApp storage systems. The values that VSC sets are based on rigorous internal testing by NetApp.

  • For optimal storage performance, consider using storage hardware that supports VMware vStorage APIs - Array Integration (VAAI). The NetApp Plug- In for VAAI is a software library that integrates the VMware Virtual Disk Libraries that are installed on the ESXi host. The VMware VAAI package enables the offloading of certain tasks from the physical hosts to the storage array.

    You can perform tasks such as thin provisioning and hardware acceleration at the array level to reduce the workload on the ESXi hosts. The copy offload feature and space reservation feature improve the performance of VSC operations. You can download the plug-in installation package and obtain the instructions for installing the plug-in from the NetApp Support site.

    VSC sets ESXi host timeouts, multipath settings, and HBA timeout settings and other values for optimal performance and successful failover of the NetApp storage controllers. Follow these steps:

    1. From the VMware vSphere Web Client home page, select vCenter > Hosts.

    2. Right-click a host and then select Actions > NetApp VSC > Set Recommended Values.

    3. In the NetApp Recommended Settings dialog box, select the values that work best with your system.

      The standard recommended values are set by default.

      Error: Missing Graphic Image

    4. Click OK.

Next: NetApp Configuration.