Add hard disk to VMware Linux VM

There are two easy steps to add a hard disk for a VMware Linux VM.

1. Assign a new hard disk in VMware vSphere

2. Configure the new hard disk in CentOS

This example assigns a new 5 GB hard disk as the /backup directory on CentOS 7

Assign hard disk in vSphere

1. In VMware vSphere, right click on the VM and select "Edit Settings..."

   

2. In the "New device:" section, select "SCSI Controller", and click the "OK" button. Note, there is a hard limit of 4 SCSI Controllers per VM.

   

3. Right click "Edit Settings..." again and select "New Hard Disk"

   

4. Input the byte size of the new hard disk (in this example, 5 GB). In the "Virtual Device Node" section, assign the new SCSI controller number. Click the "OK" button.

   

Configure new hard disk in CentOS

1. SSH into the CentOS VM and sudo to root
   sudo su -

2. List the block device to see the newly assigned vSphere hard disk.
   lsblk

   

   If you do not see the vSphere hard disk, force a rescan

   for host in $(ls -1d /sys/class/scsi_host/);
     do echo "- - -" > ${host}/scan
   done
   
   for device in $(ls -1d /sys/class/scsi_disk/);
     do echo "1" > ${device}/device/rescan
   done
   

3. Format the disk partition. Get the device name from the previous lsblk output
   fdisk /dev/sdb
   See the screenshot for the options you should pick
   n (new partition)
   p (primary)
   (Press ENTER) (Use default partition number)
   (Press ENTER) (Use default first sector)
   (Press ENTER) (Use default last sector)
   t (change the partition type)
   8e (Linux LVM)
   w (write)

   

4. List the block device again to display the new disk partition /dev/sdb1
   lsblk

   

5. Initialize the physical volume
   pvcreate /dev/sdb1
   To display the new physical volume
   pvs

   

6. Create the volume group
   Note: vgBackup is just an name for this example. The volume group name can be whatever you want
   vgcreate vgBackup /dev/sdb1
   To display the volume group
   vgs

7. Create the logical volume for the volume group
   Note: lvBackup is just an name for this example. The logical volume name can be whatever you want
   lvcreate -n lvBackup -l +100%FREE vgBackup
   To display the logical volume
   lvs

   

8. Construct an XFS filesystem on the new logical volume
   mkfs.xfs /dev/vgBackup/lvBackup

   

9. Edit the text file /etc/fstab and add the line below:

   /dev/vgBackup/lvBakup /backup xfs defaults 1 2
   

10. Mount a Unix directory to the logical volume
    mkdir -p /backup
mount /backup

11. You now have a new 5 GB hard disk assigned as the /backup directory

    

To learn more about Unix Logical Volumes, go to official RedHat LVM docs