Remove VMFS datastore

You can remove a VMFS datastore from your ESXi host in two ways:

  • delete a VMFS datastore – destroys the pointers to the files on the datastore, so that the files disappear from all ESXi hosts that have access to the datastore.
  • unmount a VMFS datastore – preserves the files on the datastore, but makes the datastore inaccessible to the ESXi host.

Before deleting or unmounting a VMFS datastore, make sure that all virtual machines whose disks reside on the datastore are powered off. Before unmounting a VMFS datastore, make sure that the following prerequisites are met:

  • no virtual machines reside on the datastore.
  • the datastore is not part of a datastore cluster.
  • storage I/O control is disabled.
  • the datastore is not used for HA heartbeat or Storage DRS.

 

If you want to keep the data, back up the content of the datastore before you delete it.
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