A virtual machine requires a 4TB disk for application data. The storage administrator has already created and presented a 4TB LUN to an ESXi 5.x host. The host is currently configured with a single 500GB VMFS5 datastore.
What is the next step the vSphere administrator must use to provision the data disk?
A.
Create a virtual compatibility mode RDM mapping to the 4TB LUN.
B.
Create a physical compatibility mode RDM mapping to the 4TB LUN.
C.
Expand the existing VMFS volume to 4TB. Create a physical compatibility mode RDM mapping to the 4TB LUN.
D.
Expand the existing VMFS volume to 4TB. Create a virtual compatibility mode RDM mapping to the 4TB LUN.
Why physical compatibility and not virtual compatibility?
Because the size of RDM in Virtual Compatibility mode is limited to 2TB (-512 bytes).
RDM with Physical Comp. goes to 64TB (new in vSphere 5.x)
I believe this is called “Pass-Through” RDM in VMware documentation
mikef is correct
source:
http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-50/topic/com.vmware.vsphere.storage.doc_50/GUID-4B2479B1-541D-4FF4-865E-2EE711294478.html
If you’re learning for 5.5 be advised that this question is for 5.1.
5.5 supports up to 64TB for physical and up to 62TB for virtual compatibility mode.
https://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-55/index.jsp#com.vmware.vsphere.storage.doc/GUID-4B2479B1-541D-4FF4-865E-2EE711294478.html
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere5/r55/vsphere-55-configuration-maximums.pdf
Looks like B is the correct answer PRDM. It is the next step needed to avoid the 2TB limit of a VCRDM.