How to create a SFTP repository to write to a local/SAN LUN that is connected to your ESX host. (76706)

How to create a SFTP reop on your ESX host

Present a new LUN (or delete a datastore), and make note of its SCSI address (as seen in the VIC under the host's configuration tab->Storage Adapters after HBA rescan).

We will need to SSH to the host that will have this LUN and become root (su -).

Once at prompt type:cat /proc/scsi/scsi

Now count how many Direct Access SCSI devices down in the list this new LUN is.

For example,

Attached devices:

Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00

Vendor: DELLModel: PERC 5/iRev: 1.00

Type:Direct-AccessANSI SCSI revision: 05

Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00

Vendor: DGCModel: RAID 5Rev: 0220

Type:Direct-AccessANSI SCSI revision: 04

Host: scsi2 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 01

Vendor: DGCModel: RAID 5Rev: 0220

Type:Direct-AccessANSI SCSI revision: 04

The first is the internal disk (/dev/sda), the 2^nd was an iSCSI VMFS volume , and the third was the new LUN to use for backups.Counting in letters starting at ‘a’ makes this disk ‘c’, or /dev/sdc.To verify this is the correct lun use fdisk in SSH session:

fdisk /dev/sdc

Hit ‘p’ to print the partition table.It should be empty.If you see any partitions then this may not be the right LUN, for example, a VMFS lun will show 1 full size partition of type fb Unknown.If this is the case, try another disk (‘q’ to quit without saving).Once you have the right, empty LUN we can create a new partition.

Hit ‘n’ for new partition.

‘p’ for primary

‘1’ for the first partition

Hit enter/return and take all defaults

Hit ‘p’ again to see our new partition.Note it’s type is 83 Linux.

Hit ‘w’ to write the changes to the disk.**Be sure you want to do this**‘q’ will quit and discard.

We can now create our filesystem, I will be using ext3.Ext2 can also be used.

Note:This will take a while for large luns.

mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdc1

Next we need to mount this LUN somewhere, I will be using /mnt/backup:

mkdir /mnt/backup

Verify it mounts OK:

mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt/backup

Once complete, edit /etc/fstab so that this will mount again upon reboot.This will need to be tested to be sure that the LUN is available that early on during boot otherwise a manual mount after reboot may be necessary.

nano /etc/fstab

add the following line changing to suit your disk/mount point.

/dev/sdc1/mnt/backupdefaults0 2

CTRL+x to quit, y to save and enter to keep the same filename.

A reboot should be done to confirm whether or not this LUN is available and thus mounted on boot.If not, a manual mount can be done:

mount /mnt/backup (short command can be used since there is now a reference in /etc/fstab)

You should now be able to create and use an SFTP repository to write to a local/SAN LUN that is connected to your ESX host.