Knowledge

• Identify the NFS hardware components
  To be able to add NFS datastores to your configuration you need an infrastructure that supports NFS. The following componets must be in place:
  • NFS Share / server
  • Switch
  • VMkernel interface for NFS support
• Explain ESX exclusivity for NFS mounts
  Added via commend system by Carole (THNX!): Concerning "Explain ESX exclusivity for NFS mounts", I have found this on ESX Configurate Guide - p.99 :
  
  CAUTION When your host accesses a virtual machine disk file on an NFS-based datastore, a .lck-XXX lock file
  is generated in the same directory where the disk file resides to prevent other hosts from accessing this virtual
  disk file. Do not remove the .lck-XXX lock file, because without it, the running virtual machine cannot access
  its virtual disk file.
• Configure ESX/ESXi network connectivity to the NAS device
  For the connectivity to a NFS device you need the same network configuration as you would for iSCSI, a VMkernel interface. To do so:
  • Create a VMkernel port for physical network adapters
    • Select a ESX host
    • Select the tab “Configuration”
    • Select “Networking”
    • Select “Add Networking”
    • Select “VMkernel”
    • Select “Create a virtual switch”
    • Select “Select the NICs
    • Go to “Port Group Properties” and enter a friendly name under Network label
    • Enter the IP settings
    • Finish
• Create an NFS Datastore
  • Select a ESX host
  • Select the tab “Configuration”
  • Select “Storage”
  • Click “Add storage” in the upper right corner
  • Select the bullet “Network File System”, next
    
  • Fill in the required fields and finish the wizard.
• Some more by Matthijs
  • You cannot run MSCS on NFS, this needs an block I/O device (iSCSI / FC)

Tools

• ESX/ESXi Configuration Guides
• Product Documentation
• VMware vSphere Client

Matthijs' Links

• Some people are very enthusiastic about running VMs on NFS.