Understanding SimpliVity File System - VM Files And Storage vMotion

[shandy4473]

Good Evening Everyone,

I am little confused on how and more important - where - the VM files (VMX and VMDK files) are stored in a Simplivity cluster. I have a basic understanding of the SimpliVity DVP system and its Object Store and how it presents a NFS file system to ESXi 6.5 hypervisor. I understand how data is updated in metadata vs new information, etc

What I am missing here is where are the files stored? Is a VM and its files stored entirely on the node regardless of a selected datastore, or are the VM "scattered" across nodes in a cluster. 

Second - how does storage vMotion work in a SimpliVity cluster. Let's suppose we have a two node SimpliVity cluster daisy changed together via 10GB connect. Let's say on node 1 do a storage vMotion from a NFS Simplivity datastore1 to another NFS Simplivity datastore2.    Does this mean that files are moved between nodes?

Thanks

Steve  

[MikeSeden]

Here is a set of links that explains the answer to your question. They explain it better than I can. The important thing to remember is that VMware has no idea what SimpliVity is doing. 

1- https://damianerangey.com/2018/07/20/how-virtual-machine-data-is-stored-and-managed-within-a-hpe-simplivity-cluster/

2- https://damianerangey.com/2018/08/29/how-virtual-machine-data-is-stored-and-managed-within-a-hpe-simplivity-cluster-part-2/

3- https://damianerangey.com/2018/09/14/how-virtual-machine-data-is-stored-and-managed-within-a-hpe-simplivity-cluster-part-3/

4- https://damianerangey.com/2018/10/16/how-virtual-machine-data-is-stored-and-managed-within-a-hpe-simplivity-cluster-part-4/

If you read these you will have a pretty good idea what goes on in the mind of a SimpliVity cluster-

Mike