How To Set Scratch Directory Vmware Vcenter 6.5 Update 2

Virtualization

Creating a persistent scratch location for ESXi

11 May 2021 by Uma Panda

Why we need a persistent scratch location in ESXi host:

Sometimes scanning the ESXi host using Update Director fails with General Arrangement Error and also tin can't install HA agent on affected ESXi hosts. In few cases we got custom requirements to manually create a binder and assign to a persistent scratch location for ESXi hosts.

Purpose:

VMware recommends that ESXi has a persistent scratch location bachelor for storing temporary data including logs, diagnostic information, and system swap. Persistent scratch space may be provisioned on a FAT 16, VMFS, or NFS partition accessible by the ESXi host.

Note:

Scratch space is configured automatically during installation or commencement boot of an ESXi host, and is not required to be manually configured. ESXi install-able creates a 4 GB Fat16 partition on the target device during installation if there is sufficient space, and if the device is considered local.

Cause:

If persistent scratch space is not available, ESXi stores this temporary data on a ramdisk, which is constrained in space. This might be problematic in depression-retentiveness situations, merely is not disquisitional to the performance of ESXi. Information stored on a ramdisk does not persist beyond reboots, then troubleshooting information such as logs and core files could be lost. If a persistent scratch location on the host is not configured properly, you may experience intermittent issues due to lack of space for temporary files and the log files are not updated.

Resolution:

Scratch space tin can exist manually configured for an ESXi host using the vSphere Client, the vCLI, PowerCLI, Tech Back up Mode, or during scripted installation. Select the method appropriate to your environment. Regardless of the method selected, the configuration is written to the /etc/vmware/locker.conf configuration file for use during the adjacent kicking.

Changing the configured scratch location requires a reboot of the ESXi host for the changes to take result. Apply vMotion to migrate or power off all virtual machines on the ESXi host prior to making the change.

The configured scratch location must point to a directory on a file-organization accessible to the ESXi host, such every bit a Fat16 or VMFS volume. The location may be a directory on a shared or remote disk every bit long as the ESXi host is allocated its own separate directory.

Note:

Exercise not share a scratch locker directory among multiple ESXi hosts.
Information technology is non supported to configure a scratch location on a VSAN information-store.
It may be necessary to do a reboot of the ESXi host earlier completing these procedures.

Configuring persistent scratch location using VMware Host Client for ESXi 6.ten:

Connect to ESXi host using Host Client
Click Storage
Right-click on a data-store and click Browse
Create a uniquely-named directory for this ESXi host. For example: ESXiHostname
Close the Data-store Browser
Click the Manage tab
Under System, click Avant-garde Arrangement Settings
The setting ScratchConfig.CurrentScratchLocation shows the current location of the scratch segmentation
In the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation field, enter a directory path that is unique for this host
For example- /vmfs/volumes/DatastoreUUID/ESXiHostname
Reboot the host