Hi,
I'm totally new to SAN as well as iSCSI. I am planning on getting a MD3000i to use as storage for all user data and a couple of databases as well as the vmdk files for vSphere ESXi servers.
There will be 2 ESXi servers attached to it running a total of 6 virtual servers.
Should the disk configuration offer all the raid setups that are required by the virtual serv ers? i.e. If some applications on some of the VMs need RAID10, some need some other version of RAID and some don't need RAID, then do I set up the MD3000i disks in this way in 3 groups?
Cheers,

Hey Tangerine27, Welcome to the site.

I discussed this with Kong_Yang, our virtualization specialist on the site, and this was his suggestion:

I would recommend that the RAID be used for all applications even those not requiring RAID- for redundancy and data protection. With the MD3000i, you can create multiple RAID LUNs in each array using MDSM. With MDSM and ESX, they can manage which VMs and apps have access to particular LUNs.

I would ask the customer what their requirements & areas of importance are. The performance and disk capacity requirements will help size the # of disks needed in the RAID LUNs, the planning for hot spares, and will also guide them on which RAID type they should choose.

Ultimately for this customer’s situation, they can create 2 RAID disk groups per their application requirement. And put applications that don’t need RAID on RAID for data protection.