Merge pull request #91472 from lpettyjo/OSDOCS-12804

OSDOCS-12804#Increase vSphere max vols per node

Author: lpettyjo

modules/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-increase-max-vols-per-node-overview.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Module included in the following assemblies:
+//
+// * storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere.adoc
+//
+
+:_mod-docs-content-type: CONCEPT
+[id="persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-increase-max-vols-per-node-overview_{context}"]
+= Increasing maximum volumes per node for vSphere
+
+For VMware vSphere version 7, {product-title} restricts the maximum number of volumes per node to 59. 
+
+However, for vSphere version 8 or later, you can increase the allowable number of volumes per node to a maximum of 255. Otherwise, the default value remains at 59.
+
+[IMPORTANT]
+====
+You must have an homogeneous vSphere 8 environment that only contains ESXi 8 hypervisors. Heterogeneous environments that contain a mix of versions of ESXi other than 8 are not allowed. In such heterogenous environment, if you set a value greater than 59, the cluster degrades.
+====
+
+.Limitations
+
+* You must be running VMware vSphere version 8 or later.
+
+* You can potentially exceed the limit of 2048 virtual disks per host if you increase the maximum number of volumes per node on enough nodes. This can occur because there is no Distributed Resource scheduler (DRS) validation for vSphere to ensure you do not exceed this limit.

modules/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-increase-max-vols-per-node-procedure.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// Module included in the following assemblies:
+//
+// * storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere.adoc
+//
+
+:_mod-docs-content-type: PROCEDURE
+[id="persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-increase-max-vols-per-node_{context}"]
+= Increasing the maximum allowable volumes per node for vSphere
+
+.Prerequisites
+* Access to the {product-title} web console.
+
+* Access to the cluster as a user with the cluster-admin role.
+
+* Access to VMware vSphere vCenter.
+
+* In vCenter, ensure that the parameter `pvscsiCtrlr256DiskSupportEnabled` is set to 'True'. 
++
+[IMPORTANT]
+====
+Changing the `pvscsiCtrlr256DiskSupportEnabled` parameter is not fully supported by VMware. Also, the parameter is a cluster-wide option.
+====
+
+.Procedure
+
+Use the following procedure to increase the maximum number of volumes per node for vSphere:
+
+. Click *Administration* > *CustomResourceDefinitions*.
+
+. On the *CustomResourceDefinitions* page next to the *Name* dropdown box, type "clustercsidriver".
+
+. Click *CRD ClusterCSIDriver*.
+
+. Click the *Instances* tab.
+
+. Click *csi.vsphere.vmware.com*.
+
+. Click the *YAML* tab.
+
+. Set the parameter `spec.driverConfig.driverType` to `vSphere`.
+
+. Add the parameter `spec.driverConfig.vSphere.maxAllowedBlockVolumesPerNode` to the YAML file, and provide a value for the desired maximum number of volumes per node as in the following sample YAML file:
++
+[source,yaml]
+.Sample YAML file for adding the parameter maxAllowedBlockVolumesPerNode
+----
+...
+spec:
+  driverConfig:
+    driverType: vSphere
+    vSphere:
+      maxAllowedBlockVolumesPerNode: <1>
+...
+----
+<1> Enter the desired value here for the maximum number of volumes per node. The default is 59. The minimum value is 1 and the maximum value is 255.
+
+. Click *Save*.

storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere.adoc

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ To create CSI-provisioned persistent volumes (PVs) that mount to vSphere storage
 
 * *vSphere CSI Driver Operator*: The Operator provides a storage class, called `thin-csi`, that you can use to create persistent volumes claims (PVCs). The vSphere CSI Driver Operator supports dynamic volume provisioning by allowing storage volumes to be created on-demand, eliminating the need for cluster administrators to pre-provision storage. You can disable this default storage class if desired (see xref:../../storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-sc-manage.adoc#persistent-storage-csi-sc-manage[Managing the default storage class]).
 
-* *vSphere CSI driver*: The driver enables you to create and mount vSphere PVs. In {product-title} 4.18, the driver version is 3.3.1 The vSphere CSI driver supports all of the file systems supported by the underlying Red Hat Core operating system release, including XFS and Ext4. For more information about supported file systems, see link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/managing_file_systems/overview-of-available-file-systems_managing-file-systems[Overview of available file systems].
+* *vSphere CSI driver*: The driver enables you to create and mount vSphere PVs. In {product-title} 4.19, the driver version is 3.3.1 The vSphere CSI driver supports all of the file systems supported by the underlying Red Hat Core operating system release, including XFS and Ext4. For more information about supported file systems, see link:https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/9/html/managing_file_systems/overview-of-available-file-systems_managing-file-systems[Overview of available file systems].
 
 //Please update driver version as needed with each major OCP release starting with 4.13.
 
@@ -118,7 +118,16 @@ include::modules/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-disable-storage-consequences.ado
 
 include::modules/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-disable-storage-procedure.adoc[leveloffset=+2]
 
+include::modules/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-increase-max-vols-per-node-overview.adoc[leveloffset=+1]
+
+:FeatureName: Increasing volumes per node
+include::snippets/technology-preview.adoc[leveloffset=+2]
+
+include::modules/persistent-storage-csi-vsphere-increase-max-vols-per-node-procedure.adoc[leveloffset=+2]
+
 == Additional resources
 * xref:../../storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi.adoc#persistent-storage-csi[Configuring CSI volumes]
 
 * link:https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1025279[Best practices for using VMware snapshots in the vSphere environment]
+
+* link:https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-cis/vsphere.html[VMware vCenter documentation]