Let’s look into some of the best practices for using NFS datastore with VMware. Bobcares, as a part of our Server Management Service offers solutions to every query that comes our way.

Best Practices for Using NFS datastore with VMware

NFS datastores provide flexibility in VMware settings, but stability, security, and optimal performance are ensured by following to best practices:

1. Using VLANs or specialized physical switches, separate NFS traffic from other network traffic. Congestion is reduced, and security is improved.

2. For efficient data transfer between ESXi hosts and the NFS server, make use of high-bandwidth network connections (preferably 1 Gigabit Ethernet or faster).

3. If the network switches and ESXi hosts support it, think about turning on Jumbo Frames. Although it necessitates interoperability with all network devices, this enables larger data packets, potentially boosting performance.

4. For ensured compatibility, make sure the NFS server’s hardware and firmware versions are included in the VMware Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).

5. NFS version 3 is preferable than TCP when using VMware for best performance and stability. On ESXi 6.x and later, NFS version 4.1 is also supported; however, because of different locking methods, do not mix versions on the same datastore.

6. Give the ESXi hosts read-write (RW) permissions for the particular NFS share we wish to use as a datastore.

7. It is essential to safeguard the network through which NFS traffic flows since NFS mounts normally require root access. If the NFS server has NFS ACLs (Access Control Lists) available, take into consideration adding more protection.

8. Set up the right NFS mount parameters when creating the datastore to optimize behavior and performance. Common choices are bg (for background mounting) and sec=none (for trusted networks).

9. To avoid potential problems with NFS mounts, configure NIC teaming with “no” failback for redundant network connections.

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Conclusion

With these best practices from our Tech team, we can effectively use the NFS datastore with VMware.