Dynamic Disks in VMs?

[amiller_1]

As part of a discussion on mbralign, Aaron Delp brought up the question of dynamic disks and mbralign (turns out it won't work). See the end of this thread for some of the original discussion.

http://communities.netapp.com/docs/DOC-2563

I've personally always stayed with basic disks inside Windows VM's as it's easy enough to expand them (diskpart after expanding the vmdk) or just as easy to add another virtual disk. I just never saw any benefit in using dynamic disks. Anyone out there using dynamic disks inside Windows VMs? And if so, why?

Thanks.

[aarondelp]

I have done a little more research and polled some of my customers and I really can't come up with a reason to use Dynamic disks in a virtual environment.  In my mind, the benefit of aligning the disk easily after creation out weighs the benefits of a Dynamic Disk after the fact.

Anybody have a good reason to use Dynamic Disks?

[amiller_1]

Just bumping this in case anyone out there has some thoughts....

[animesh129]

One of my customers with FAS and FCP needs an 8TB LUN on Windows Server / VM ?

I was thinking of Dynamic Disks? Is there any problem with this or is there a better option ?

Thanks

[scottgelb]

Dynamic disks are not supported by NetApp.  Use a GPT lun to get 8TB.

[thomas_glodde]

FC Protocol supports 2TB only, means you wont get a 2TB+ RDM or VMDK unless you use expands to put a few 2TB VMFS systems together (poor performance).

You´d be better off to add several sub 2TB disks/RDMs. Think of backup & restore.