VMware vSAN Guide

VMware vSAN is a software-defined storage solution integrated directly into vSphere. This guide explains vSAN architecture, deployment models, features, and best practices.

What is VMware vSAN?

vSAN aggregates local or direct-attached storage devices across ESXi hosts in a cluster to create a single shared datastore. It's fully integrated with vSphere and delivers hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI).

Key Features

• Fully integrated with vSphere Web Client and vCenter
• Policy-based management (SPBM)
• All-flash or hybrid (flash + spinning disk) configurations
• Deduplication & Compression (space efficiency)
• Stretched cluster support for disaster recovery
• vSAN File Services (NFS/SMB file shares)
• Native Encryption & Secure Boot

vSAN Architecture Components

• Disk Groups: Combination of cache and capacity disks
• Storage Policy-Based Management (SPBM): Set VM storage requirements
• Witness Host: Used for stretched cluster quorum
• Fault Domains: Logical grouping for availability zones

Deployment Models

• Standard 2-node or 3+ node vSAN clusters
• Stretched Cluster (active-active across sites)
• vSAN ROBO (Remote Office Branch Office)
• vSAN HCI Mesh (cross-cluster capacity sharing)

vSAN Licensing Editions

• Standard (core storage features)
• Advanced (deduplication, compression, stretched cluster)
• Enterprise (encryption, DR automation)
• Enterprise Plus (File Services, HCI Mesh)

Best Practices

• Use identical hardware across hosts
• Maintain sufficient network redundancy (10Gb recommended)
• Regularly monitor health service inside vCenter
• Align VM storage policies with workload needs
• Plan capacity with slack space recommendations

Official Documentation

Refer to VMware vSAN Documentation Portal for deep technical guides and reference architectures.

Next Step

After mastering vSAN, continue to review VMware Certification Guide to plan your official learning path.