NFS and VMware vSphere

[kranked]

Hi,

I just used your latest Lacie vs2 firmware which i'm really impressed with but had hoped it'd allow me to use it as a datastore with the VMware Vsphere client in Windows 7 (the host machine is running ESXi v5). The original Lacie firmware didn't even have NFS as an option so I've not lost any functionality as such. Is it just a case of incompatibility? I have an Iomega ix4-200d NAS which works in this way brilliantly so I'm pretty sure i'm mounting share in the correct way, I have tried all sorts but the error I get is: "Call "HostDatastoreSystem.CreateNasDatastore" for object "ha-datastoresystem" on ESXi "130.2.0.42" failed.
NFS mount 130.2.6.44:/nfs/Lacie_VM_Datastore failed: The mount request was denied by the NFS server. Check that the export exists and that the client is permitted to mount it."

I have set the share to public with no password. In case you are wondering I have to specify /nfs in front of the path in order for ESXi to connect to it.

Any tips or ideas you have would be great.

Thanks, Dan

[fvdw]

I assume you want to mount an NFS share form the nwsp2 on you windows machine , so 130.2..6.44 is the ip address of the nas

I have no experience with VMware but I now and then use the NFS client of windows 7
Assume you have a share with name "video" then you must use a command like this to mount it using command line (cmd) in windows 7 and of course the NFS client activated (replace ip-nas by actual ip address of your nwsp2

Code: Select all

mount ip-nas:/share/1000/video z:

This will mount the share "video" on station z: in windows 7
Notice that you have to use the full path to the share, all shares are in folder /share/1000
Also in the exports file on the nwsp2 you must use the full path

Seems that the path as you used is missing /share/1000 prefix

[kranked]

Thanks for your response. I tried what you suggested but it still gives the same error. Although the software is running in Windows 7, it's not actually the windows os which is mounting the share, its the VMware host via a client tool. The vmware esxi (host) is linux based.

I have taken a snapshot of the paths I have used to try and connect (mount) to the share, I've done it in this way before without any issues so can only assume it's something to do with the NFS version implemented in your firmware?? VMware state that it must be NFS v3.

Screenshot of where it's failing:

Capture.JPG

[fvdw]

NFS v3 is supported by the server in the firmware

try without /nfs

Further what is the content of the exports folder on the nwsp2 ?

[kranked]

I've tried it without /nfs

Exports reads: /share/1000/public 192.168.1.197

I don't have the public share on this NAS anymore though...

[fvdw]

:roll: Think you need do some reading on basics of NFS server and how to use it.

It doesn't work as you exports file is not set properly. That file needs to contain the folder that you want to share via NFS sever and which client will be allowed to access it. The NFS server uses it to grant access or not.

The exports file on the nwsp2 should contain the line with something like this (assuming you made a share with name Lacie_VM_Datastore)
Note 1 replace ip-address-of-client by the ip address of the PC that you use to access the server).
Note 2 in Linux folder and file names are case sensitive !

Code: Select all

/share/1000/Lacie_VM_Datastore ip-addres-of-client(rw,sync,no_root_squash,no_subtree_check)

How to adapt the exports file on the nwsp2, see the help menu's...

We know the menu to setup the NFS server on th nwsp is quite simple and not user friendly regarding editing the exports file. In future release this setup menu will be improved ;)

[kranked]

Ah ok I hadn't fully understood the importance of the exports file! I'm used to using NAS' where this isn't part of the setup process as far as the user is concerned...

I've now got it working by creating a fvdw share with a new exports file in there (done via windows). Seems strange that Lacie haven't included NFS support on their firmware... very glad you provided a solution to the problem. Thanks.

[fvdw]

glad to hear that it is working now :punk