WS2012 Storage - NFS Server - Configure NFS for VMware vSphere 5.1 Home Lab

The following procedure show how to setup a NFS Server hosted on Windows Server 2012 for backend storage of my VMware vSphere Server 5.1 Home Lab.

You can also check my post on Creating an iSCSI Target Server on Windows Server 2012.

Overview

In the following post I will talk about the following points:

• Terminology
• Using PowerShell
• Add the Role NFS Server Feature on Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• Create the Share and Set the NFS permissions
• Add the NFS datastore to VMware vSphere 5.1
• Using the GUI (Graphical User Interface)
• Add the Role NFS Server Feature on Microsoft Windows Server 2012
• Create the Share and Set the NFS permissions
• Add the NFS datastore to VMware vSphere 5.1

Quick overview of my NFS Service architecture in my Home Lab

Terminology

Before I start, if you are not familiar with NFS, W2012 or vSphere 5.1, please check the following links:

• NFS stands for Network File System Wikipedia
• Windows Server 2012 - Server for NFS
• What's New in vSphere 5.1 - Storage

Using PowerShell

Adding the "Server for NFS" Role on Windows Server 2012

First you will need to add the Windows Feature to handle the NFS Service and shares.
Launch PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Add-WindowsFeature "FS-NFS-Service"

(Add-WindowsFeature on technet)

# Get a list of all the Cmdlets available for this module
Get-Command -Module NFS

Windows Server 2012 was delivered with PowerShell 3.0.
This new version comes along with a dedicated NFS Module!! Find above the Cmdlets available.

Creating a Share and Set the NFS Permissions

# Now we need to create a new share and set the permission to allow client
# to connect to it. Here I used a folder I created E:\NFS_MOUNT  

New-NfsShare -Name "NFS_MOUNT" -Path "E:\NFS_MOUNT" -AllowRootAccess $true -Permission Readwrite -Authentication all

(New-NfsShare on Technet)

Add the NFS Share to your vSphere Lab

Finally we will need to add the new NFS share in our VMware vSphere host.

$VMHOST = "192.168.1.202" # VMware vSphere host where to create the datastore
$NFSDatastore = "FILESERVER01-NFS_MOUNT" # name that you want to give
$NFSServer = "FILESERVER01.fx.lab" # ip of fqdn of the NFS Server
$NFSSharename = "NFS_MOUNT" # Share created on the NFS Server

New-Datastore -Nfs -VMHost $VMHOST -Name $NFSDatastore -NfsHost $NFSServer -path $NFSSharename

Using Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Adding the "Server for NFS" Role on Windows Server 2012 

Select the feature Server For NFS, under File and Storage Services / File and iSCSI Services

Once you click on Server For NFS, you will be prompted to add the required components,
Continue by clicking on Add Features

Select INSTALL on the review page.

When the installation is completed, click on Close.

Creating a Share and Set the NFS Permissions on Windows Server 2012(GUI)

Here I created a folder on the E: Drive called NFS_MOUNT.
Right click on the folder and select Properties, you will see a new tab called NFS Sharing
Click on Manage NFS Sharing

On the NFS Share Permission windows, change the Type of access to READ-WRITE,
and Check the Allow root access propertie.
Click OK to complete.

And you are done! Under the "Services for NFS Sharing" area
you can find the information about your current NFS share.
In my case: FILESERVER01:/NFS_MOUNT

Add the NFS Share to your vSphere Lab (GUI)

In vSphere Client, (select your ESXi/Configuration/Storage), Select Add Storage, Select Network File System

Enter the information of the NFS Server.

Click on Finish to complete the task.

And that's it... leave a comment if you have any question.