How to Create Storage Policy – TAG Based ( SPBM with TAG )

We have already discussed about creating storage policy with storage type VSAN  and in this post we are explaining create storage policy using “TAGS”  . Here we are share the procedure to create policy using TAG with VSAN and iSCSI datastore.

About Add or Edit Tag-Based Rules

While you create or edit a storage policy for virtual machines, you can create or modify a rule that references tags that you used for particular datastore and the datastore become compatible with that type of storage policy.To create policy with Tag  first you need a storage tags and apply them to datastore’s .

You can add tag-based rules to a rule set that includes storage-specific rules, or create a separate rule set with only tag-based rules. follow below rules while  you use tags in the policies

• If the rule set contains other storage-specific rules, the datastore with the assigned tag must satisfy all of the rules in the rule set.

• If you add several tags from the same category within the same rule, the tags are treated as alternative constraints. Either of the tags can be satisfied.

• If you add the tags in separate rules within the same rule set, all tags must be satisfied.

First we will create tag and assign that tag to a iSCSI storage 

Log into your vSphere Web Client with an Administrative account

From the Home screen Click on the Home Icon and select Tags and Custom Attribute icon

Select on the Tags and Select the Create New Tag Button as shown in below image  to create a Tag which can be used for SPBM

Provide a Tag Name and Description  , As we are going create Tag which will be used for ISCSI and VSAN will name as

” ISCI+VSAN ”

Since we are creating the Tag First time we have assign this Tag to Category , here no Category available so we are going to create new Category form same menu

Provide a Category NAme and and Description and Choose the Associated Object type also .

Note : We can Assign the Category for  One Tag per Object or May Tag per Object also by default All Object will be selected .

Since We Create Tag for Datastore will untick the default option “All Objects and Select Object as ” Data store ” and Click OK

Also you can verify the Category from the Category Tab from Same Window.

Next we will assign the Tag to the datastore by Right Click on the Datastore and select Assign tag

Here First we select iSCSI Datatstore ( TEST-ISCSI)

select the Tag – ISCSI+VSAN  we created and Click on Assign

Next we will create policy using Tag option

Log into your vSphere Web Client with an Administrative account

From the Home screen Click the VM Storage Policies icon

In the Right pane under the VM Storage Policies tab Click on Create VM Storage Policy

It will launch new windows , there you have to  provide a Name and Description of the policy. Click Next

Review the Policy Structure screen and Click Next to continue

We will not be leveraging the Common Rules for Data Services Provided by Hosts  since in this scenario it is not required  Click Next to continue

Mark the rule-sets in the storage policy and Select Tag based placement from the dropdown menu and add the required rules from there .

Select the Tags from Category and

Select the Tag from Drop Down menu , here it is VSAN ISCSI and click on the Add Tags

It will prompt a window to list the Tag we created , here ISCSI+VSAN select the tag and click OK

You can See the Tag will show over there , as shown in below image  Click Next to Continue

From the Storage Compatibility screen, you can view iSCSI Datastore is listed and Click Next to continue:

And Finally review the settings from the window and Click Finish

Next we will check how can we add VSAN Datastore to the Same Tag and Check the Compatibility 

As we mentioned above procedure we have assign the tag to VSAN datastore

Navigate to the Datastore menu from vCenter and Right Click on the desired Datastore  – > Tags & Custom Attributes -> Assign Tags

Select the Tag and Click Assign

Next Lets verify the compatibility of the  datastore on the Policy we already created

Navigate to VM Storage Policies and click on the desired policy and click on Edit Setting  , here it is  VSAN ISCSI

Click on the Storage Comparability Option , You can see that Newly Added VSAN datastore also listing there .

We can also combine Tag based and Datastore type while creating the storage policy ( SPBM )

Reference