The vSAN file service creates file shares on a vSAN datastore that clients can connect too and it supports SMB and NFS. This is a walk-through I did in my lab.
First download VMware vSAN files services appliances
Should be 6 files for 7u3f
Ensure you have created a dns entry for your vSAN file service (you can have multiples)
First create a port group, I am using an existing distributed switch
Right click your distributed switch > click distributed port group > click new distributed port group
Name your port group and click next
Change VLAN type to VLAN and add a VLAN id and click next
Click finish
Now we will deploy the vSAN file service
Click your cluster > click configure > under vSAN click services > under file service click enable
Click next
Click browse
Select your 6 files you downloaded before
Click next
Fill in the details of your environment and click next
File service domain – vsan.vmware.local
DNS servers – 172.168.1.14
DNS suffixes – vmware.local
Directory services click active directory
AD domain – vmware.local
AD username – administrator
Password
Network select your port group you created before and enter the subnet mask and gateway of that port group
Click next
Put in the details you added to your DNS server you can have more than one by clicking the + sign
172.168.1.103
vsanfs.vmware.local
click next
Click finish
Its created
Now we will create the shares
Click your cluster > click configure > under vSAN click file shares > click add
Type in the name of your share
Protocol – SMB
Click next
Click finish
Its created
Click add again
This one will be a NFS share, put in a name
Protocol – NFS
Version – NFS 4.1 and NFS3
Add some space quotas
Click next
Allow access from any ip or choose your own preference
Click next
Click finish
Its Created
Now let try to connect to the SMB share first then the NFS share
Right click the start button on windows > click run
type
\\fqdnfromdns or \\ipaddress
or
Type in the credentials you setup when you deployed the vSAN file service
I created a file on it as a test
Now you will need your path for your NFS share
Click your cluster > click configure > Under vSAN click file shares > select your NFS share and click copy path > then click NFS 4.1
Copy the path (you will need the end of it for your mount highlighted in red)
Right click your cluster > click storage > click new datastore
Select NFS 4.1 and click next
Type in the name of the share, your preference
Put in your mount in folder
Put in your ip address or fqdn in server
Click next
I won’t use Kerberos authentication, click next
Select the ESXi hosts you want NFS share on and click next
Click finish
Ok it is now created
