How to Enable VMware VAAI and Install NetApp Plugin on ESXi

 The NetApp Plug-in for VMware vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI) is a software library that integrates the VMware Virtual Disk Libraries that are installed on the ESXi host. The VMware VAAI package enables the offloading of certain tasks from the physical hosts to the storage array.

1. Download the VAAI plugin from netapp software download page 

    downloaded vb.zip file and copied to esxi server

    Install as :

    [root@esxi:/tmp] esxcli software vib install -d                                      /tmp/NetAppNasPlugin.v23.zip

     Installation Result

      Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be              rebooted for the changes to be effective.

     Reboot Required: true

     VIBs Installed: NetApp_bootbank_NetAppNasPlugin_1.1.2-3

     VIBs Removed:

     VIBs Skipped:

  2.reboot esxi
  3.verify VAAI plugin installed with

    [root@esxi:~]  esxcli software vib list | more

Name                           Version                            Vendor  Acceptance Level  Install Date

-----------------------------  ---------------------------------  ------  ----------------  ------------

NetAppNasPlugin                1.1.2-3                            NetApp  VMwareAccepted    2021-02-10

 4.Enable ONTAP for VAAI plugin

Ontap_cluster::> vserver nfs modify -vserver vs0 -vstorage enabled

verify with:

Ontap_cluster::> vserver nfs show -vserver vs0 -vstorage enabled

5.Enable policy rules on ontap

Ontap_cluster::> vserver export-policy rule modify -vserver vs1 -policyname mypolicy -ruleindex 1 -protocol nfs

Ontap_cluster::>

6.Verify esxi hardware acceleration

#  esxcfg-advcfg -s 1 /DataMover/HardwareAcceleratedMove
Value of HardwareAcceleratedMove is 1

# esxcfg-advcfg -s 1 /DataMover/HardwareAcceleratedInit
Value of HardwareAcceleratedInit is 1

7.Verify the Datastore having VAAI enabled

  # vmkfstools -P -h /vmfs/volumes/NFSDS

NFS-1.00 file system spanning 1 partitions.
File system label (if any): TEMP NAS
Mode: public
Capacity 2 TB, 791.9 GB available, file block size 4 KB
UUID: 46db973f-cca15877-0000-000000000000
Partitions spanned (on "notDCS"):
 nfs:TEMP NAS
NAS VAAI Supported: YES
Is Native Snapshot Capable: YES