Virtualize Freenas

[Gianluca Crispiani]

Hello,
I have read that freenas can be virtualized on esxi hypervisor and also that it can possible to "pass", if I well undestand what I have read, the physical disk to virtualized freenas.
What I mean is:
-Build up an esxi server, create a standard esxi datastore;
-Configure a VM with a freenas boot disk into standard esxi datastore and setup there;
-Configure this Vm to use the disks that compose my pool and import it inside Virtual Freenas, without loose pool/data.

My intent shuld be to not destroy/rebuild the actual pool because this would mean to do a backup of my data then restore back (even if a config like previous is it possible....)

So my question: Is it possible??
Is there a way to virtualize freenas and re-use old pool?

Thank you

 

[proto]

Is there a way to virtualize freenas and re-use old pool?

"pass" == hw passthrough at ESX level.
You need an HBA, first. [*]

[*] EDIT: maybe not, but it depends on the hardware you use.

Then on your VM:
- Reserve all guest memory (ex: 8-16 Gb to your VM)
- PCI device --> your physical device

On FreeNAS VM --> import your old pool.

 

[sretalla]

To be very clear, the only people to have success with this in a way where their data is safe are using passthrough for their entire disk controller/HBA (this is not the same as presenting individual disks from ESX to the VM).

 

[proto]

o be very clear, the only people to have success with this in a way where their data is safe are using passthrough for their entire disk controller/HBA (this is not the same as presenting individual disks from ESX to the VM).

Totally agree.

Years ago I tried RDM disks too... ehm : - /

 

[jgreco]

Folks, we have stickies to refer people to, rather than giving out partial answers.

https://www.ixsystems.com/community...nas-in-production-as-a-virtual-machine.12484/

https://www.ixsystems.com/community...ide-to-not-completely-losing-your-data.12714/