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Some space missing from a new VMFS data store due to hidden files
Details
- There are hidden files in the root of any VMFS volume
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Some free space is missing from a newly created VMFS datastore
Solution
These files are indexes and descriptors of the files on the filesystem and cannot be deleted.
- They may take more space if you have a small block size (more addresses).
- They may take less space if you have a large block size (less addresses).
- They are metadata files that are created when the volume is first setup.
- They cannot be changed and cannot be deleted.
- They may grow over time but not significantly.
The VMFS3 file system organizes all space on disk in collections of resources. There are 4 resource types managed by the VMFS3 file system blocks, sub-blocks, pointer blocks, and file descriptors.
Resources are grouped together into collections called CLUSTERs and clusters can be further grouped together into CLUSTER GROUPS.
Each resource type is managed by one of 4 system files which are created during the file system bootstrap process:
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fbb.sf - file block bitmap.system file
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pbc.sf - pointer block cluster.system file
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sbc.sf - sub-block cluster.system file
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fdc.sf - file descriptor cluster.system file
Actions
- KB Article: 1001618
- Updated: Aug 14, 2009
- Products:
VMware ESX - Product Versions:
VMware ESX 3.0.x
VMware ESX 3.5.x