vSAN File Services - Accessing SMB File Share

Products

• VMware vSAN
• VMware vSAN 8.x

Issue/Introduction

vSAN File Service is a layer that sits on top of vSAN to provide file shares. It currently supports SMB 2.1, SMB 3, NFS3 and NFS4.1. 
The data stored in a file share can be accessed from any device that has access rights.

vSAN File Service supports the shared folders snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) for managing the SMB shares on the vSAN cluster.

You can perform the following tasks on vSAN File System SMB shares using the MMC tool:

• Manage Access Control List (ACL).
• Close open files.
• View active sessions.
• View open files.
• Close client connections.
  

 

Environment

VMware vSAN 8.x
VMware vSAN 9.x

Resolution

To Access SMB file share through a windows client: 

1. Copy MMC path from SMB file share. Cluster > Configure > vSAN > File Service Shares > Select the SMB file share > Click COPY MMC COMMAND.
           

2. Log into the Windows client with the AD account that was used to configure the File Service Domain. This AD account also known as 'file service admin user' which has all the privileges on the file server must be an administrator on the windows client.
           A windows client is any machine where you plan to mount the file share.
           To check the AD account configured on File Service Domain:  vSAN Cluster  >  Configure  >  Services  >  File Service   >  Edit  >  Edit Domain
           

3. In the search box on the taskbar, type Run, and then select Run.

4. In the Run box, run the MMC command that you have copied to access and manage the SMB share using the MMC tool.