Slides from session presented at VMware CodeConnect 2020.

1. Exploring API-only Features of
First Class Disks
Chris Arceneaux
Solutions Architect | Veeam
chris.arceneaux@veeam.com
@chris_arceneaux

2. Agenda
● Session overview
● What are First Class Disks?
● How do they differ from traditional VM Hard Disks?
● Use Cases
● Demo Time!

3. What’s the real name?
Improved Virtual Disks
Managed Virtual Disks
First Class Disks
Enhanced Virtual Disks

4. What are First Class Disks?
● First Class Disks are “first class” citizens in vSphere API
● Most capabilities identical to traditional VM Hard Disk
● Feature additions:
○ FCD-specific snapshot support
○ Create FCD from snapshot
● Encryption not currently supported but in the works
● vSAN support (might have caveats)

5. Use Cases
● Persistent storage for containers
● vRealize Automation
○ Storage life-cycle management
● VMware Integrated OpenStack
○ Create Cinder volumes as First Class Disks instead of VMDKs
● Present production data to QA/Test environment
○ Live demo incoming!
● Many more!

6. Demo Time

7. Session Recap
● They’re AWESOME! So many possibilities…
● Proper name is: First Class Disks
● Been around since vSphere 6.5 (production ready)
● Separates the disk life-cycle management from VM
● Ability to clone FCD from snapshot
First Class Disks

8. Resources
● Slides available on my blog
o https://www.arsano.ninja
● Cormac Hogan blog post on First Class Disks
o https://cormachogan.com/2020/01/14/first-class-disks-enhanced-virtual-disks-revisited/
● Pyvmomi Community Samples
o https://github.com/vmware/pyvmomi-community-samples
● vSphere Web Services API
o https://code.vmware.com/apis/968

9. Thanks for attending!