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Any node that is part of a VCF deployment requires the user to install the ESXi version as listed on the bill of materials. Therefore, before creation of a workload domain, the user must install ESXi on at least three nodes. These nodes also serve as the PowerFlex compute-only layer. Because VCF dictates the ESXi version, the user cannot use the template process in the PowerFlex UI to deploy the compute-only nodes. After installation of ESXi, the SDC component must be installed by one of two methods:
The following section details a manual installation of the SDC and the provisioning and mapping of a volume for creation of a VMFS datastore for the workload domain.
Locate the correct version of the SDC for ESXi 8: sdc-4.5.0.263-esx8.x.zip. Copy this .zip file to the local datastore on each ESXi host. Then perform the following steps as root:
When the host comes back up, it should appear in the Block -> Hosts list in the PowerFlex UI as in Figure 20.
Once the SDC is installed on each host, create a volume through the PowerFlex UI and map that volume to each of the hosts. This volume serves as the VMFS datastore for the workload deployment.
Begin by navigating in the UI to Block -> Volumes. Select +Create Volume, enter in the required information, and click Create in Figure 21.
Figure 21. Volume creation for VCF workload domain
Highlight the newly created volume and under the Mapping drop-down select Map.
Figure 22. Map volume to workload hosts
In Figure 23, use the check box next to each host to select it for mapping. Then click Map to complete the process.
Figure 23. Select VCF ESXi workload domain hosts
The user must create a VMFS datastore on the volume once it is mapped. When using the storage selection of VMFS on FC, the workload domain wizard scans the adapters looking for a viable candidate. Since there is no vCenter as it is part of the workload domain deployment, go to one of the ESXi hosts using the vSphere Client. Then log in as root. Navigate in the left-menu pane to Storage and then the Adapters tab on the right panel. Highlight the vmhba adapter that uses the driver scini. This adapter is the SDC in Figure 24. For all intents and purposes, it presents as an FC adapter. VCF treats any datastores that are created on volumes that are presented to that vmhba as viable for a workload domain.
Figure 24. SDC vmhba
Now go to the Datastores tab and click +New datastore in Figure 25.
Figure 25. Datastore creation
A volume that is mapped from PowerFlex is identified as an EMC Fibre Channel Disk. Provide a name and complete the wizard in Figure 26. The other hosts that are prepared for the workload domain automatically discover the new VMFS. This process enables the user to initiate the procedure for creating the workload domain.
Figure 26. Datastore for the VMFS on FC workload domain on PowerFlex