Learn how to unmount NFS datastores from ESXI hosts. Our NFS Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

ESXi Unmount NFS Datastore | Guide

Unmounting an NFS datastore on an ESXi host involves disconnecting the host from the NFS datastore. In other words, removing its access to the shared storage. This is necessary when we need to reconfigure or remove the NFS datastore from the host.

Let’s take a look at how to unmount NFS Storage Using the vSphere Client:

1. First, we have to connect to the ESXi host where the NFS datastore is mounted in the vSphere Client.
2. Then, we must select the ESXi host in the Inventory view.
3. Next, head to the Datastores section, and right-click the NFS datastore that you want to unmount.
4. Now, it is time to choose Unmount Datastore and click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.

Prerequisites for Unmounting NFS Storage

Before we unmount an NFS datastore, we have to make sure the following conditions are met:

• There are no running or registered virtual machines on the NFS volume.
• There are no snapshots, ISO images, or VMDK on the datastore that are mounted in other Vms.
• Next, the datastore is not managed by Storage DRS and is not part of a datastore cluster.
• Then, the vSphere HA heartbeat does not use storage.
• The storage I/O control for the datastore is disabled.
• Finally, verify that the NFS datastore is not being used to store log or swap files in the advanced system settings of the ESXi host.

Troubleshooting NFS Unmount Errors

If you have been running into errors while unmounting an NFS datastore it may be due to one of the following reasons:

• One or more of the prerequisites mentioned above are not met.
• The NFS share is not available on the NFS server.
• The ESXi firewall rules that allow access to the NFS share are not enabled.
• The storage I/O control for the datastore is enabled.

How to remove an Inactive NFS Datastore Using the ESXi Shell

1. First, we have to connect to the ESXi host console using SSH.
2. Then, we must run this command to list the NFS volumes available on the host:

   esxcli storage nfs list

   Furthermore, we can get detailed information about the NFS storage by running the following command:

   vim-cmd hostsvc/datastore/info datastore_name
3. Additionally, in order to unmount the NFS volume from the host, we have to run this command:

   esxcli storage nfs remove -v datastore_name

   Remember to include the NFS datastore name in quotation marks if it contains spaces.
4. In case the NFS datastore is not removed from the vSphere Client, we have to click the Refresh button in the ESXi Storage section or click Rescan Storage.

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Conclusion

In brief, our Support Techs demonstrated how to unmount NFS datastores from ESXI hosts.