Loading

×Sorry to interrupt
This page has an error. You might just need to refresh it.
[NoErrorObjectAvailable] Uncaught AxiosError: Network Error

Refresh

Cookie Preference Center

General Information on cookies

When you visit our website, we use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience. This information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies by clicking on the different category headings to find out more and change your settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on the site and the services we are able to offer. Further information can be found in our

Cookie Policy.

Strictly Necessary

Strictly Necessary

Always Active

Strictly Necessary

Strictly necessary cookies are always enabled since they are essential for our website to function. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and website accessibility. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but this may affect how the website functions. For more information please visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

Cookie Details‎

Performance

Performance

Performance

Performance cookies are used to analyze the user experience to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. They allow us to know which pages are the most and least popular, see how visitors move around the site, optimize our website and make it easier to navigate.

Cookie Details‎

Please confirm your settings by refreshing the page.

Functional

Functional

Functional

Functional cookies help us keep track of your past browsing choices so we can improve usability and customize your experience. These cookies enable the website to remember your preferred settings, language preferences, location and other customizable elements such as font or text size. If you do not allow these cookies, then some or all of these services may not function properly.

Cookie Details‎

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising

Advertising cookies are used to send you relevant advertising and promotional information. They may be set through our site by third parties to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other sites. These cookies do not directly store personal information, but their function is based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device.

Cookie Details‎

Advertising Cookies

Consent Leg.Interest

Select All Vendors

Select All Vendors

Select All Hosts

Select All

Clear Filters

Information storage and access

Apply

Confirm My Choices Reject All Allow All

Skip to main content

My Subscriptions

Loading

Knowledge Base

VMware Multipathing policies in ESXi/ESX (1011340)

Last Updated: 3/3/2021Categories: Best PracticesTotal Views: 48082Language:
Chinese (Simplified)JapaneseSpanishEnglish

23 like this article

Subscribe to get an email
newsletter with new updates

23 people found this helpful Please provide article feedback:

Purpose

This article describes the various pathing policies that can be used with VMware ESXi/ESX. These are referred to as Path Selection Plug-ins (PSP) and are also called VMware Path Selection Policy(Policies).

Resolution

These pathing policies can be used with VMware ESXi/ESX:

Most Recently Used (MRU)

VMW_PSP_MRU

The policy selects the first working path, discovered at system boot time. If this path becomes unavailable, the ESXi/ESX host switches to an alternative path and continues to use the new path while it is available. This is the default policy for Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs) presented from an Active/Passive array. ESXi/ESX does not return to the previous path if, or when, it returns; it remains on the working path until it, for any reason, fails.

Note: The preferred flag, while sometimes visible, is not applicable to the MRU pathing policy and can be disregarded.

Fixed (Fixed)

VMW_PSP_FIXED

The policy uses the designated preferred path flag if it is configured. Otherwise, it uses the first working path discovered at system boot time. If the ESXi/ESX host cannot use the preferred path or it becomes unavailable, the ESXi/ESX host selects an alternative available path. The host automatically returns to the previously-defined preferred path as soon as it becomes available again. This is the default policy for LUNs presented from an Active/Active storage array.

Round Robin (RR)
VMware

VMW_PSP_RR

The policy uses an automatic path selection, rotating through all available paths, enabling the distribution of load across the configured paths.

Note: For logical units associated with Microsoft Cluster Service (MSCS) and Microsoft Failover Clustering virtual machines, the Round Robin pathing policy is supported only on ESXi 5.5 and later.

For Active/Passive storage arrays, only the paths to the active controller will be used in the Round Robin policy.

For Active/Active storage arrays, all paths will be used in the Round Robin policy.

Best Practice for RR, see this Adjusting Round Robin IOPS limit from default 1000 to 1(2069356)

 Notes:

These pathing policies apply to VMware's Native Multipathing (NMP) Path Selection Plug-ins (PSP). Third-party PSPs have their own restrictions.

Round Robin is not supported on all storage arrays. Please check with your array documentation or storage vendor to verify that Round Robin is supported and/or recommended for your array and configuration. Switching to an unsupported or undesirable pathing policy can result in connectivity issues to the LUNs (in a worst-case scenario, this can cause an outage).

Here are the steps to Change the VMware Path Selection Policy.

Warning: VMware does not recommend changing the LUN policy from Fixed to MRU, as the automatic selection of the pathing policy is based on the array that is detected by the NMP PSP.

Related Information

The Round Robin (RR) multipathing policies have configurable options that can be modified on the command line. Some of these options include:

For more information, see Round Robin Operations with esxcli storage nmp psp roundrobin in the vSphere Command-Line Interface Installation and Reference Guide for the appropriate version of your VMware product.

As example for device using Round Robin (RR):

esxcli storage nmp device list

naa.6589cfc000000080160d5180d713aae5
Device Display Name: FreeNAS iSCSI Disk (naa.6589cfc000000080160d5180d713aae5)
Storage Array Type: VMW_SATP_ALUA
Storage Array Type Device Config: {implicit_support=on; explicit_support=off; explicit_allow=on; alua_followover=on; action_OnRetryErrors=off; {TPG_id=1,TPG_state=AO}}
Path Selection Policy: VMW_PSP_RR
Path Selection Policy Device Config: {policy=rr,iops=1000,bytes=10485760,useANO=0; lastPathIndex=0: NumIOsPending=0,numBytesPending=0}
Path Selection Policy Device Custom Config:
Working Paths: vmhba65:C0:T2:L0
Is USB: false

A number of bytes to send along one path for this device before the PSP switches to the next path.

A number of I/O operations to send along one path for this device before the PSP switches to the next path.

A Number of useANO to enable the usage of Active-Non-Optimized paths.

If the storage device is configured for Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA), Round Robin by default will use only the active optimized paths. Note: This behavior can be changed, but not recommended as it may result in performance degradation. For more information, see Managing NMP with esxcli storage nmp section of the vSphere Command-Line Interface Documentation guide.

To change a LUN to use the Round Robin path policy, see Changing a LUN to use a different Path Selection Policy (PSP) (1036189).

To change newly provisioned LUNs to use Round Robin by default, see Changing the default pathing policy for new/existing LUNs (1017760).

For more information, search for Multipathing Considerations and PSP in the vSphere 5 Documentation Center; for 5.5 vSphere 5.5 Documentation Center

For translated versions of this article, see:

日本語: ESX/ESXi 4.x, ESXi 5.x におけるマルチパスポリシー (2019882)

Changing the default pathing policy for new/existing LUNs
Changing a LUN to use a different Path Selection Policy (PSP)
ESXi 5.x および ESXi/ESX 4.x のマルチパス ポリシー
Políticas de rutas múltiples en ESXi 5.x y ESXi/ESX 4.x
ESXi 5.x 和 ESXi/ESX 4.x 中的多路径策略

Detectable by VMware SkylineTM

Actions

Copy

link to clipboard
copied!

Print

Language:
Chinese (Simplified)JapaneseSpanishEnglish

Attachments

Additional Resources

KB
•
Adjusting Round Robin IOPS limit from default 1000 to 1 (2069356)

Result 1 of 1

Ask The Community

Get answers quickly from VMware experts in the community

Post Subject

CONTINUE IN COMMUNITIES

Related Products:

VMware vSphere ESXi

VMware ESX Server

Related Versions:

Take Our Survey

Copyright © 2024 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use

Your California Privacy Rights

Privacy

Accessibility

Cookie Settings

Support Assistant