Exact steps to reclaim Datastore

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Steps needed to reclaim a vmfs datastore. 

Resolution

1. Remove or migrate all virtual machines and templates from the datastore.
2. Disable Storage DRS for the datastore. For more information, see Activate and Deactivate Storage DRS.
   1. Browse to the datastore cluster in the vSphere Client.
   2. Click the Configure tab and click Services.
   3. Select Storage DRS and click Edit.
   4. Select Turn OFF vSphere DRS and click OK.
   5. To deactivate only I/O-related functions of Storage DRS, leaving space-related controls activated, perform the following steps.
      1. Under Storage DRS select Edit.
      2. Deselect the Enable I/O metric for Storage DRS check box and click OK.
3. Disable Storage I/O Control for the datastore. For more information, see Enable Storage I/O Control.
   1. Browse to the datastore in the vSphere Client.
   2. Click the Configure tab.
   3. Click Settings and click General.
   4. Click Edit for Datastore Capabilities.
   5. Remove Check from the Enable Storage I/O Control check box.
   6. Click OK.
4. Make sure that the datastore is not used for vSphere HA heartbeating. For more information, see Configure Heartbeat Datastores.
   1. In the vSphere Client, browse to the vSphere HA cluster.
   2. Click the Configure tab.
   3. Select vSphere Availability and click Edit.
   4. Click Heartbeat Datastores to display the configuration options for datastore heartbeating.
   5. Verify that this datastore is not being used for heartbeating or select a new datastore. 
5. Unmount the datastore from all hosts:
   1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to the datastore.
   2. Right-click the datastore and select Unmount Datastore.
   3. If the datastore is shared, select the hosts from which to unmount the datastore.
   4. Confirm that you want to unmount the datastore.
6. Remove VMFS Datastores
   1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to the datastore.
   2. Right-click the datastore to remove, and select Delete Datastore.
   3. Confirm that you want to remove the datastore.