Knowledge Base

Scratch space can be manually configured for an ESXi host using the vSphere Client, the vCLI, PowerCLI, Tech Support Mode or during scripted installation. Select the method appropriate to your environment. Regardless of the method selected, the configuration is written to the /etc/vmware/locker.conf configuration file for use during the next boot.

Changing the configured scratch location requires a reboot of the ESXi host for the changes to take effect. VMotion or power off all virtual machines on the ESXi host prior to making the change. For more information, see Rebooting an ESX Server host (1003530).

The configured scratch location must point to a directory on a filesystem accessible to the ESXi host, such as a Fat16 or VMFS volume. The location may be a directory on a shared or remote disk as long as the ESXi host is allocated its own separate directory.

Configuring persistent scratch location using the vSphere Client

You can configure persistent scratch space for ESXi using the vSphere Client:

1. Connect to vCenter Server or the ESXi host using the vSphere Client.
2. Select the ESXi host in the inventory.
3. Click the Configuration tab.
4. Click Storage.
5. Right-click a datastore and select Browse.
6. Create a uniquely-named directory for this ESX host (eg, .locker-ESXHostname)
7. Close the Datastore Browser.
8. Click Advanced Settings under Software. 
9. Select the ScratchConfig section.
10. Change the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option, specifying the full path to the directory. For example:
    
    /vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/.locker-ESXHostname
    
11. Click OK.
12. Put the ESXi host in maintenance mode and reboot for the configuration change to take effect.

Configuring persistent scratch location using the vCLI

You can configure persistent scratch space for ESXi using the vSphere Command-Line Interface. For more information on usage, see the vSphere Command-Line Interface Documentation.

1. Open a command prompt at the location where the vCLI is installed.
2. Obtain a list of datastores reachable from this ESXi host using the command:
   
   vifs.pl <connectoptions> --listds
   
   For example:
   
   vifs.pl --server esxhostnameorip --username root --listds
   
   
3. Create a uniquely-named directory for this ESXi host using the command:
   
   vifs.pl <connectoptions> --mkdir "[DatastoreName] DirectoryName"
   
   For example:
   
   vifs.pl --server esxhostnameorip --username root --mkdir "[Datastore1] .locker-ESXHostname"
   
   
4. Check the current value of the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option using the command:
   
   vicfg-advcfg.pl <connectoptions> -g ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation
   
   For example:
   
   vicfg-advcfg.pl --server esxhostnameorip --username root -g ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation
Value of ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation is /path/to/location
   
   
5. Change the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option, specifying the full path to the directory created in Step 3, using the command:
   
   vicfg-advcfg.pl <connectoptions> -s /vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/DirectoryName ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation
   
   For example:
   
   vicfg-advcfg.pl --server esxhostnameorip --username root -s /vmfs/volumes/Datastore1/.locker-ESXHostname ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation 
   
   
6. Put the ESXi host in maintenance mode and reboot for the configuration change to take effect.

Configuring persistent scratch location using PowerCLI

1. Open a command prompt where the PowerCLI is installed.
2. Connect to the ESXi host using the command:
   
   connect-viserver ESXHostnameOrIP
   
   
3. Obtain a list of datastores reachable from this ESXi host using the command:
   
   Get-Datastore
   
   
4. Mount a datastore read/write as a PSDrive using the command:
   
   New-PSDrive -Name "mounteddatastore" -Root \ -PSProvider VimDatastore -Datastore (Get-Datastore "DatastoreName")
   
   
5. Access the new PSDrive using the command:
   
   Set-Location mounteddatastore:
   
   
6. Create a uniquely-named directory for this ESXi host using the command:
   
   New-Item "DirectoryName" -ItemType directory
   
   For example:
   
   New-Item ".locker-ESXHostname" -ItemType directory
   
   
7. Check the current value of the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option using the command:
   
   Get-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -Name "ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation"
   
   
8. Change the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option, specifying the full path to the directory created in Step 6, using the command:
   
   Set-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -Name "ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation" -Value "/vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/DirectoryName"
   
   For example:
   
   Set-VMHostAdvancedConfiguration -Name "ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation" -Value "/vmfs/volumes/Datastore1/.locker-ESXHostname"


9. Put the ESXi host in maintenance mode and reboot for the configuration change to take effect.

Configuring persistent scratch location using Tech Support Mode

You can configure persistent scratch space for ESXi using Tech Support Mode on ESXi, either via the local console or SSH.

1. Open a console to the ESXi host. For more information, see Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1 and 5.0 (1017910).
2. Obtain a list of datastores reachable from this ESXi host using the command:
   
   ls /vmfs/volumes
   
   
3. Create a uniquely-named directory for this ESXi host using the command:
   
   mkdir /vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/DirectoryName
   
   For example:
   
   mkdir /vmfs/volumes/Datastore1/.locker-ESXHostname
   
   
4. Check the current value of the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option using the command:
   
   vim-cmd hostsvc/advopt/view ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation
   
   An example of output:
   
   (vim.option.OptionValue) [
   (vim.option.OptionValue) {
      dynamicType = <unset>,
      key = "ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation",
      value = "/path/to/location",
   }
}
   
   
5. Change the ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation configuration option, specifying the full path to the directory created in Step 3, using the command:

vim-cmd hostsvc/advopt/update ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation string /vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/DirectoryName
   
   For example:
   
   /bin/vim-cmd hostsvc/advopt/update ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation string /vmfs/volumes/Datastore1/.locker-ESXHostname
   
   
6. Put the ESXi host in maintenance mode and reboot for the configuration change to take effect.

Configuring persistent scratch location during scripted install using kickstart scripts

You can configure persistent scratch space for ESXi during kickstart installation by adding commands to your kickstart scripts which create the directory and change the configuration option. For more on ESXi scripted deployments, see the ESXi Installable and vCenter Server Setup Guide.

Append these commands to your custom kickstart script:

# Generate a new scratch directory for this host on a Datastore
scratchdirectory=/vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/.locker-$(hostname 2> /dev/null)-$(esxcfg-info -b 2> /dev/null)

# Create the scratch directory
mkdir -p $scratchdirectory

# Change the advanced configuration option
vim-cmd hostsvc/advopt/update ScratchConfig.ConfiguredScratchLocation string $scratchdirectory

Note: The configured scratch location is activated during startup of the ESXi host. A reboot is required after performing the preceding commands.