Using PowerCLI to expand vSAN namespace for files larger than 255 gb

Products

• VMware vSAN 8.x
• VMware vSAN

Issue/Introduction

By default vSAN Namespaces are limited to 255 gb. This can be insufficient if needing to house files larger than that within any directory on the VSAN datastore. 

Environment

VMware vSAN (8.0-U1+)

Resolution

As of 8.0 U1, PowerCLI can be used to increase the limitation of a namespace directory within vSAN. Please see the following release notes: VMware vSAN 8.0 Update 1 Release Notes

For more information on PowerCLI and PowerCLI cmdlets please see: VCF PowerCLI

In the example below, a directory will be increased to a limitation of 512 gb:

PS C:\Windows\System32> $services = Get-view 'ServiceInstance'
PS C:\Windows\System32> $datastoreMgr = Get-view $services.Content.DatastoreNamespaceManager
PS C:\Windows\System32> $datacenter = get-datacenter
PS C:\Windows\System32> $datastoreMgr.QueryDirectoryInfo($datacenter.ExtensionData.MoRef,"/vmfs/volumes/vsan:################-################/#########-####-####-####-###########")

Capacity Used
-------- ----
  261120 1448

PS C:\Windows\System32> $datastoreMgr.IncreaseDirectorySize($datacenter.ExtensionData.MoRef,"/vmfs/volumes/vsan:################-################/#########-####-####-####-###########", 512000)
PS C:\Windows\System32> $datastoreMgr.QueryDirectoryInfo($datacenter.ExtensionData.MoRef,"/vmfs/volumes/vsan:################-################/#########-####-####-####-###########")

Capacity Used
-------- ----
  512000 1448