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StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 12:06 pm
by tanjum
Hi,
Deploying my first VMware environment, and had some queries.
Received email with License key, instruction, and the OVF link as well, but is there an ISO to install the vSAN Free on Baremetal ?
I also read somewhere (can't find the page now) Free vSAN only allows 2 nodes, are these storage or ESXi nodes ?
Currently I only have 1 storage server, I also want to know if vSAN Free allows to add more Storage Servers to the system.
Thank You
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 12:26 pm
by tanjum
Should have seen this 1st, anyway..
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4302
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 8:20 pm
by yaroslav (staff)
Hi,
Welcome to StarWind Forum. I'd suggest trialing the solution so that you can more easily reach out to the tech team and maybe request a demo or tech call. Please note that the free key cannot be applied afterward.
This could be helpful (the thread you are referring to is outdated):
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resour ... al_papers/
Received email with License key, instruction, and the OVF link as well, but is there an ISO to install the vSAN Free on Baremetal ?
It all depends on the use case.
ISO is only meant to be installed on the physical server (i.e., compute and storage separated scenario). For hyperconverged setups, there are two options available: Windows-based installation (Windows-based app, only for a Windows VM or physical host) and OVF (all other hypervisors from the list).
I also read somewhere (can't find the page now) Free vSAN only allows 2 nodes, are these storage or ESXi nodes ?
Not quite. The solution can be deployed as a standalone server, 2-way mirror, or 3-way mirror/2-way mirror +witness. See our help for more info on replication strategies
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/help/C ... ation.html
You need 2 or 3 nodes for storage high availability. A single node can still act as an iSCSI or NVMe-oF target (you are always welcome to join our beta).
Currently I only have 1 storage server, I also want to know if vSAN Free allows to add more Storage Servers to the system.
That's just enough to start. You can add more and replicate the existing storage (short iSCSI blip will happen; make sure to schedule downtime for VMs).
Good luck with your project.
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2025 8:22 am
by tanjum
Thanks yaroslav for all the information,
The outdated link was found pinned in the forum, thanks for the updated links..
ISO is only meant to be installed on the physical server (i.e., compute and storage separated scenario).
In our case we have a separate server to be used for Storage so I'm looking for where to download the ISO from.
Not quite. The solution can be deployed as a standalone server, 2-way mirror, or 3-way mirror/2-way mirror +witness. See our help for more info on replication strategies
You need 2 or 3 nodes for storage high availability. A single node can still act as an iSCSI..
In our case we have 3 ESXi Hosts Cluster, and 1 Storage Server for now (1 to be added later), in this case will StarWind vSAN Free work ?
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2025 9:28 pm
by yaroslav (staff)
The outdated link was found pinned in the forum, thanks for the updated links..
The resource library comes first. That's where we keep info, and we tend to update it more often than forum entries.
In our case we have a separate server to be used for Storage so I'm looking for where to download the ISO from.
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/downlo ... s#download select Linux Bare metal
In our case we have 3 ESXi Hosts Cluster, and 1 Storage Server for now (1 to be added later), in this case will StarWind vSAN Free work ?
Yes. Make sure
-not to use cache while StarWind devices are not replicated.
-system with HA meets system requirements
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/system-requirements (see the networking part).
Good luck with your project.
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 7:44 am
by tanjum
Thanks for the link..
Got it, thanks again yaroslav..
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 8:39 am
by yaroslav (staff)
Good luck with your project!

Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 8:29 pm
by tanjum
Hi Again,
Seems I'm unable to create the LUNs with the powershell script, the error is as below but the username password seems to work fine when I login (
The code below does not contain the real username / password used)..
Can I know what might be the issue..
The error:
Code: Select all
Connection to 192.168.1.162 ( 192.168.1.162 ) : 3261 has failed
-
login root Password123$
-
104 Username or password you entered is invalid.
Authentication attempts from '192.168.1.175' address are blocked for 5 minute(s)..
Connection has not been initialized
At C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\a.ps1:123 char:2
+ $server.Disconnect()
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : OperationStopped: (:) [], COMException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
Systems are reachable..
Code: Select all
Pinging 192.168.1.162 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.162: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Ping statistics for 192.168.1.162:
Packets: Sent = 1, Received = 1, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Control-C
Pinging 192.168.1.163 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.163: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=64
Ping statistics for 192.168.1.163:
Packets: Sent = 1, Received = 1, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
SSH is enabled in StarWind, and Firewall is disabled..
Complete code..
Code: Select all
param($addr="192.168.1.162", $port=3261, $user="root", $password="Password123$",
$addr2="192.168.1.163", $port2=$port, $user2="root", $password2="Password123$",
#common
$initMethod="NotSynchronize",
$size=1048576,
$sectorSize=512,
$failover=0,
$bmpType=1,
$bmpStrategy=0,
#primary node
$imagePath="/mnt/sdb1/volume1",
$imageName="device1",
$createImage=$true,
$storageName="",
$targetAlias="target1",
$poolName="pool1",
$syncSessionCount=1,
$aluaOptimized=$true,
$cacheMode="none",
$cacheSize=0,
$syncInterface="#p2=172.16.20.2:3260,172.16.21.2:3260",
$hbInterface="#p2=172.16.10.2:3260,192.168.0.2:3260",
$createTarget=$true,
$bmpFolderPath="",
#secondary node
$imagePath2="/mnt/sdb1/volume1",
$imageName2="device1",
$createImage2=$true,
$storageName2="",
$targetAlias2="target1",
$poolName2="pool1",
$syncSessionCount2=1,
$aluaOptimized2=$false,
$cacheMode2=$cacheMode,
$cacheSize2=$cacheSize,
$syncInterface2="#p1=192.168.1.164:3260,192.168.1.166:3260",
$hbInterface2="#p1=192.168.1.171:3260,192.168.1.173:3260",
$createTarget2=$true,
$bmpFolderPath2=""
)
Import-Module StarWindX
try
{
Enable-SWXLog -level SW_LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
$server = New-SWServer -host $addr -port $port -user $user -password $password
$server.Connect()
$firstNode = new-Object Node
$firstNode.HostName = $addr
$firstNode.HostPort = $port
$firstNode.Login = $user
$firstNode.Password = $password
$firstNode.ImagePath = $imagePath
$firstNode.ImageName = $imageName
$firstNode.Size = $size
$firstNode.CreateImage = $createImage
$firstNode.StorageName = $storageName
$firstNode.TargetAlias = $targetAlias
$firstNode.AutoSynch = $autoSynch
$firstNode.SyncInterface = $syncInterface
$firstNode.HBInterface = $hbInterface
$firstNode.PoolName = $poolName
$firstNode.SyncSessionCount = $syncSessionCount
$firstNode.ALUAOptimized = $aluaOptimized
$firstNode.CacheMode = $cacheMode
$firstNode.CacheSize = $cacheSize
$firstNode.FailoverStrategy = $failover
$firstNode.CreateTarget = $createTarget
$firstNode.BitmapStoreType = $bmpType
$firstNode.BitmapStrategy = $bmpStrategy
$firstNode.BitmapFolderPath = $bmpFolderPath
#
# device sector size. Possible values: 512 or 4096(May be incompatible with some clients!) bytes.
#
$firstNode.SectorSize = $sectorSize
$secondNode = new-Object Node
$secondNode.HostName = $addr2
$secondNode.HostPort = $port2
$secondNode.Login = $user2
$secondNode.Password = $password2
$secondNode.ImagePath = $imagePath2
$secondNode.ImageName = $imageName2
$secondNode.CreateImage = $createImage2
$secondNode.StorageName = $storageName2
$secondNode.TargetAlias = $targetAlias2
$secondNode.AutoSynch = $autoSynch2
$secondNode.SyncInterface = $syncInterface2
$secondNode.HBInterface = $hbInterface2
$secondNode.SyncSessionCount = $syncSessionCount2
$secondNode.ALUAOptimized = $aluaOptimized2
$secondNode.CacheMode = $cacheMode2
$secondNode.CacheSize = $cacheSize2
$secondNode.FailoverStrategy = $failover
$secondNode.CreateTarget = $createTarget2
$secondNode.BitmapFolderPath = $bmpFolderPath2
$device = Add-HADevice -server $server -firstNode $firstNode -secondNode $secondNode -initMethod $initMethod
while ($device.SyncStatus -ne [SwHaSyncStatus]::SW_HA_SYNC_STATUS_SYNC)
{
$syncPercent = $device.GetPropertyValue("ha_synch_percent")
Write-Host "Synchronizing: $($syncPercent)%" -foreground yellow
Start-Sleep -m 2000
$device.Refresh()
}
}
catch
{
Write-Host $_ -foreground red
}
finally
{
$server.Disconnect()
}
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 4:11 am
by yaroslav (staff)
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6852&p=37208&hilit=HINT8#p37208
Welcome to StarWind Forum. The credentials are root/starwind.
Good luck with your project

Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 1:24 pm
by tanjum
Thanks yaroslav,
I have gone through the script and different links below..
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resour ... chine-cvm/
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6852
I couldn't understand the below..
On the page
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resour ... chine-cvm/ it says to go the headers folder but there is no headers folder..
Code: Select all
IMPORTANT: If the script should be executed again with the same parameters, (for example, the first time execution has failed) make sure to do the following for one node at a time before the next attempt to execute the script:
1. Stop StarWind Service:
sudo systemctl stop starwind-virtual-san
2. Go to /opt/starwind/starwind-virtual-san/drive_c/starwind/headers and delete the headers you do not need.
3. Go to the underlying storage specified as $imagePath and delete the header and imagefile there.
Code: Select all
root@vSAN1:~# cd /opt/starwind/starwind-virtual-san/drive_c/starwind/
root@vSAN1:/opt/starwind/starwind-virtual-san/drive_c/starwind# ls
ConfigUpdater.exe iSCSITransportLib.dll logwatcher sptdintf.dll SysMan.dll
DiskBridge.dll libcrypto-3-x64.dll logwatcher.py StarWind.cfg third-party-licenses.txt
events libiconv-1.14.dll mkimage.exe StarWindService.exe Tools.dll
HAImage.dll libssl-3-x64.dll NativeLib.dll starwind-virtual-san vcruntime140.dll
hba_rescan_conf.py libswnwrapper.so NotifyDB storage VersionTracker.dll
hba_rescan.ps1 Localizations NvmfConf SWBuild.Number VirtualDvd.dll
hba_rescan.py LogLib.dll PerformanceDB SwCache.dll VTL
ImageFile.dll logs RamDisk.dll symbols VTL.dll
Also could not understand what HINT4 refers to..
Code: Select all
https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=6852&p=37208&hilit=HINT8#p37208
HINT4
/ and \ in imagePath are not the same :)
It now throws an error about an img file which does not exist in the location specified.
Code: Select all
Request to 192.168.1.162 ( 192.168.1.162 ) : 3261
-
control ImageFile -CreateImage:"/mnt/md1/volume1\vsn.img" -Size:"1024" -Flat:"True" -DeferredInit:"True" -Password:"starwind"
-
200 Failed: operation cannot be completed..
For simplicity, not adding the complete code here..
Code: Select all
param($addr="192.168.1.162", $port=3261, $user="root", $password="starwind",
$addr2="192.168.1.163", $port2=$port, $user2=$user, $password2=$password,
#common
$initMethod="NotSynchronize",
$size=1024,
$sectorSize=512,
$failover=0,
$bmpType=1,
$bmpStrategy=0,
#primary node
$imagePath="/mnt/md1/volume1",
$imageName="vsn",
$createImage=$true,
$storageName="",
$targetAlias="vsn",
$poolName="pool1",
$syncSessionCount=1,
$aluaOptimized=$true,
$cacheMode="none",
$cacheSize=0,
$syncInterface="#p2=192.168.1.164:3260,192.168.1.171:3260",
$hbInterface="#p2=192.168.1.162:3260,192.168.1.162:3260",
$createTarget=$true,
$bmpFolderPath="",
#secondary node
$imagePath2="/mnt/md1/volume1",
$imageName2="vsn",
$createImage2=$true,
$storageName2="",
$targetAlias2="vsn",
$poolName2="pool1",
$syncSessionCount2=1,
$aluaOptimized2=$false,
$cacheMode2=$cacheMode,
$cacheSize2=$cacheSize,
$syncInterface2="#p1=192.168.1.166:3260,192.168.1.173:3260",
$hbInterface2="#p1=192.168.1.163:3260,192.168.1.163:3260",
$createTarget2=$true,
$bmpFolderPath2=""
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 1:41 pm
by tanjum
Intertestingly the LUNs are created now but synchronizing does not seem to be happening..
https://imgur.com/a/hZTlRBL
Is there a way to force synchronize the 2 nodes ?
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 5:00 pm
by yaroslav (staff)
Strange. Please delete the targets and /headers contents and try again, but with different slashes.
It looks like it does create the header, but cannot lay out the file.
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 8:33 pm
by tanjum
yaroslav (staff) wrote: ↑Fri Jul 25, 2025 5:00 pm
Strange. Please delete the targets and /headers contents and try again, but with different slashes.
It looks like it does create the header, but cannot lay out the file.
Hi yaroslav,
Sorry I could not understand what you mean by
different slashes..
Yes I can see the headers folder now with the following content..
Code: Select all
root@vSAN1:/opt/starwind/starwind-virtual-san/drive_c/starwind/headers/vsn# ls
vsn_HA.swdsk vsn.swdsk
While in the powershell script the following keeps on going..
Code: Select all
Synchronizing: 0%
Synchronizing: 0%
Synchronizing: 0%
Synchronizing: 0%
Synchronizing: 0%
Synchronizing: 0%
Synchronizing: 0%
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 9:06 pm
by yaroslav (staff)
Great! Do you see an Img there?
Tell me more about the setup, please. What hypervisor do you use?
As a side note, please try reducing MTU to 1500 on the entire synchronization stack (i.e., inside the VM and hypervisor).
Re: StarWind vSAN Free..
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2025 9:45 pm
by tanjum
Yes I can see the img in there..
Code: Select all
root@vSAN1:/mnt/md0/vSANStrg# ls
starwind-volume-config.json vsn vsn_HA.swdsk.bak vsn.img vsn.swdsk.bak
This is a test setup in in VMware Workstation (so I can get the script working), and the MTU is 1500..
There are 3 VMs, 1 running Windows system, and 2 StarWind vSAN Nodes..