<!-- mcp-name: io.github.vmware-skills/vmware-storage -->
# VMware Storage

For a read-only check of this skill with your model and agent host, use the shared [model-fit self-test](https://github.com/vmware-skills/marketplace/blob/main/MODEL_FIT_SELF_TEST.md) in the marketplace root.

> **Author**: Wei Zhou, VMware by Broadcom — zhouwei008@gmail.com
> This is a community-driven project by a VMware engineer, not an official VMware product.
> For official VMware developer tools see [developer.broadcom.com](https://developer.broadcom.com).

[English](README.md) | [中文](README-CN.md)

VMware vSphere storage management: datastores, iSCSI, vSAN, and read-only Fibre Channel / multipath diagnostics — 16 MCP tools, domain-focused and lightweight.

> Split from vmware-aiops for lighter context and local model compatibility.

[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-green.svg)](LICENSE)

MCP uses local stdio by default. Opt-in HTTPS opens the configured listener and requires TLS plus caller authentication; it is a network service, not a local-only mode. Credential examples create owner-only placeholder files without overwriting existing files; edit secrets locally.

Container examples build a local version-tagged image and run it with `--pull=never`, avoiding registry fallback. A local version tag is not an immutable image digest.

## Upgrading to 2.0

2.0 renames 10 of its MCP tools (all but the four that already started with a verb) so every name starts with a verb (e.g. `fc_adapter_list` → `list_fc_adapters`, `storage_device_paths` → `list_storage_device_paths`, `storage_iscsi_add_target` → `add_iscsi_target`). The full old → new table is in
[RELEASE_NOTES.md](RELEASE_NOTES.md#v200--mcp-tools-renamed-verb-first). Three tools also change a parameter: `browse_datastore` and `scan_datastore_images` take
`datastore_name` (was `ds_name`, now the same as vmware-aiops' `browse_datastore`), and `list_all_datastores` gains an
optional `limit` (same as vmware-monitor's). Everything else stays: same tools, safety gates and CLI commands (the CLI
still takes the datastore name as before). If an agent prompt, script or `~/.vmware/rules.yaml` names a tool, update it — though deny
rules written with the old names keep working with vmware-policy ≥ 1.18 (`vmware-audit policy` lists any rule the
renames widened), and vmware-pilot ≥ 1.13 translates old names in saved workflows.
If an install older than 2.0 shares that `rules.yaml`, give it vmware-policy ≥ 1.18.2 too: it matches each rule
against both the old and the new name, so one file serves both.

## Companion Skills

| Skill | Scope | Tools | Install |
|-------|-------|:-----:|---------|
| **[vmware-aiops](https://github.com/vmware-skills/VMware-AIops)** ⭐ entry point | VM lifecycle, deployment, guest ops, clusters | 49 | `uv tool install vmware-aiops` |
| **[vmware-monitor](https://github.com/vmware-skills/VMware-Monitor)** | Read-only monitoring, alarms, events, VM info | 27 | `uv tool install vmware-monitor` |
| **[vmware-vks](https://github.com/vmware-skills/VMware-VKS)** | Tanzu Namespaces, TKC cluster lifecycle | 20 | `uv tool install vmware-vks` |
| **[vmware-nsx](https://github.com/vmware-skills/VMware-NSX)** | NSX networking: segments, gateways, NAT, IPAM | 33 | `uv tool install vmware-nsx-mgmt` |
| **[vmware-nsx-security](https://github.com/vmware-skills/VMware-NSX-Security)** | DFW microsegmentation, security groups, Traceflow | 21 | `uv tool install vmware-nsx-security` |
| **[vmware-aria](https://github.com/vmware-skills/VMware-Aria)** | Aria Ops metrics, alerts, capacity planning | 28 | `uv tool install vmware-aria` |

## Quick Install

```bash
# Via PyPI
uv tool install vmware-storage==2.6.0

# Or pip
pip install vmware-storage==2.6.0
```

## Offline / Air-Gapped Install (from source)

This project uses the modern PEP 517 build system (hatchling), so there is **no
`setup.py`** by design — that is expected, not a missing file. If you cloned the
source and hit `ERROR: File "setup.py" or "setup.cfg" not found ... editable mode
currently requires a setuptools-based build`, your `pip` is older than 21.3 and
cannot do an *editable* (`-e`) install with a non-setuptools backend. Editable
mode is a developer convenience, not needed to run the tool — do one of:

```bash
# From the source tree — a normal (non-editable) install builds a wheel:
pip install .              # NOT  pip install -e .

# ...or upgrade pip first, and editable works too:
pip install --upgrade pip && pip install -e .
```

For a **truly air-gapped host**, build the wheels on a connected machine and copy
them over — the target then needs no network:

```bash
# On a connected machine, collect this package + its dependencies as wheels:
pip wheel . -w dist        # → dist/*.whl   (or: uv build, for just this package)

# Copy dist/ to the air-gapped host, then install offline:
pip install --no-index --find-links dist vmware-storage
```

## Configuration

```bash
mkdir -p ~/.vmware-storage
cp config.example.yaml ~/.vmware-storage/config.yaml
# Edit with your vCenter/ESXi credentials

(
  umask 077
  set -C  # Refuse existing files; edit an existing .env locally instead
  cat > ~/.vmware-storage/.env <<'EOF'
VMWARE_MY_VCENTER_PASSWORD=REPLACE_IN_LOCAL_EDITOR
EOF
)
# Before continuing, edit .env locally; never type live secrets into shell commands.

# Verify
vmware-storage doctor
```

This writes placeholders only. Enter passwords or tokens using a local editor after creation; do not paste live credentials into terminal commands, chat or commits. If the file exists, the command refuses to overwrite it; edit the existing file after checking its permissions are `600`.

## MCP Tools (16)

| Category | Tools | Type |
|----------|-------|------|
| Datastore | `list_all_datastores`, `get_datastore_vm_usage`, `browse_datastore`, `scan_datastore_images`, `list_cached_images` | Read |
| iSCSI | `enable_iscsi`, `get_iscsi_status`, `add_iscsi_target`, `remove_iscsi_target`, `rescan_storage` | Read/Write |
| vSAN | `get_vsan_health`, `get_vsan_capacity`, `get_vsan_efficiency` | Read |
| FC / multipath | `list_fc_adapters`, `list_storage_device_paths` | Read |
| Access | `get_access_info` — which account the server uses and whether it holds each tool's vSphere privileges (root folder) | Read |

## Auto-Remediation Patterns (PoC)

The [`patterns/`](patterns/) directory hosts L5 auto-remediation candidate patterns from the Enterprise Harness Engineering framework. The first PoC pattern, [`patterns/iscsi-target-stale-rescan.yaml`](patterns/iscsi-target-stale-rescan.yaml), describes an iSCSI HBA rescan as a low-risk, reversible, repeatable operation. The pattern schema is documented here only — runtime enforcement is **not yet wired up**, so this is a reference design, not production auto-remediation.

## Common Workflows

### Set Up iSCSI Storage on a Host

1. Enable iSCSI adapter: `vmware-storage iscsi enable esxi-01`
2. Add target: `vmware-storage iscsi add-target esxi-01 10.0.0.100`
3. Verify: `vmware-storage iscsi status esxi-01`

The `add-target` command automatically rescans storage. Use `--dry-run` to preview any write command first.

### Find Deployable Images Across Datastores

For scripts, add `--json` to `datastore list`, `datastore browse`, or
`datastore scan-images`. Successful output is the complete result envelope,
including `items`, counts, truncation and any cache note. Without the flag,
list keeps its table and browse/scan-images keep their legacy JSON arrays.
Other read commands already output JSON by default. Failures still exit nonzero
with the existing CLI error message.

1. List all datastores: `vmware-storage datastore list`
2. Scan for images: `vmware-storage datastore scan-images datastore01`
3. Browse with a pattern: `vmware-storage datastore browse datastore01 --pattern "*.iso"`

### vSAN Health Assessment

1. Check health: `vmware-storage vsan health Cluster-Prod`
2. Check capacity: `vmware-storage vsan capacity Cluster-Prod`
3. If issues found, investigate with `vmware-monitor` for alarms and events

### Check Fibre Channel Paths

1. Dead or disabled paths behind a datastore: `vmware-storage paths devices --datastore ds-fc-01`
2. Hosts that see a shared device through a different number of paths than their peers, or not at all: `vmware-storage paths devices --cluster Cluster-Prod --only-differences`
3. WWPNs for the SAN team: `vmware-storage paths fc-adapters --cluster Cluster-Prod`

Hosts that could not be read are listed in `hosts_not_read` and are never reported as missing a device. Path states are reported as vSphere reports them — `standby` is not flagged.

## CLI

```bash
# Datastore
vmware-storage datastore list
vmware-storage datastore browse datastore01
vmware-storage datastore scan-images datastore01

# iSCSI
vmware-storage iscsi status esxi-01
vmware-storage iscsi enable esxi-01
vmware-storage iscsi add-target esxi-01 192.168.1.100
vmware-storage iscsi remove-target esxi-01 192.168.1.100
vmware-storage iscsi rescan esxi-01

# vSAN
vmware-storage vsan health Cluster-Prod
vmware-storage vsan capacity Cluster-Prod

# Fibre Channel / multipath (read-only)
vmware-storage paths fc-adapters --cluster Cluster-Prod
vmware-storage paths devices --datastore ds-fc-01

# Diagnostics
vmware-storage doctor
```

## MCP Server

**After `uv tool install vmware-storage==2.6.0`, start the MCP server with one command** (v1.5.15+):

```bash
# Recommended — single command, no network re-resolve
vmware-storage mcp

# With a custom config path
VMWARE_STORAGE_CONFIG=/path/to/config.yaml vmware-storage mcp

# Or via Docker
docker compose up -d
```

### Agent Configuration

Add to your AI agent's MCP config:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vmware-storage": {
      "command": "vmware-storage",
      "args": ["mcp"],
      "env": {
        "VMWARE_STORAGE_CONFIG": "~/.vmware-storage/config.yaml"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

<details>
<summary>Alternative: uvx (no install) or legacy entry point</summary>

```bash
# Run without installing (requires PyPI access each launch)
uvx --from vmware-storage==2.6.0 vmware-storage mcp

# Legacy entry point (still works, kept for backward compatibility)
vmware-storage-mcp
```

> **Behind a corporate TLS proxy?** uvx may fail with `invalid peer certificate: UnknownIssuer`.
> Use the recommended `vmware-storage mcp` form above (no network needed), or set `UV_NATIVE_TLS=true`.

</details>

## Why a Separate Skill?

`vmware-aiops` has 61 MCP tools — too heavy for local LLMs (7B-14B). By splitting storage into its own skill:

- **16 tools** — fits comfortably in small model context windows
- **Domain-focused** — storage admins get only what they need
- **Least privilege** — can run under a vCenter service account with storage read-only permissions
- **Composable** — use alongside vmware-monitor or vmware-aiops as needed

## Version Compatibility

**Python**: 3.10+ (since v1.5.27 — previously 3.11+). Tested on 3.10 / 3.11 / 3.12.

| vSphere / VCF | Support | Notes |
|---------|---------|-------|
| VCF 9.1 / vSphere 9.1 | Full | Released 2026-05-12. pyVmomi+vSAN SDK `<10.0` works via SOAP. |
| VCF 9.0 / vSphere 9.0 | Full | pyVmomi 8.0.3+ with bundled vSAN SDK connects to vSphere 9. |
| 8.0 | Full | vSAN SDK built into pyVmomi 8.0.3+ |
| 7.0 | Full | All storage APIs work |
| 6.7 | Compatible | iSCSI + datastore features work; vSAN limited |

#### Official Broadcom References

- **SDKs**: <https://developer.broadcom.com/sdks> — VCF Python SDK, vSAN Management SDK (bundled in pyVmomi)
- **REST APIs**: <https://developer.broadcom.com/xapis> — vSAN Management API, VCF API
- **CLI Tools**: <https://developer.broadcom.com/tools> — PowerCLI 9.1, ESXCLI

## Safety

| Feature | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Read-heavy | 12/16 tools are read-only |
| Preview by default (MCP) | The 4 write tools take `confirm` (default `false`): a call without it changes nothing and returns `blast_radius` (host, adapters, and for target removal the paths, devices and datastores behind the target). `confirm=true` is refused when a datastore would lose every path or part of the blast radius could not be read. the old `dry_run` alias was removed in 2.4.3 and is refused as an unknown argument |
| Input validation | IP addresses and ports validated before iSCSI operations |
| Audit logging | All operations logged to `~/.vmware-storage/audit.log` |
| No VM operations | Cannot create, delete, or modify VMs |
| Credential safety | Passwords only from environment variables, never config files |

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Cause & Fix |
|---------|-------------|
| iSCSI enable fails with "already enabled" | Not an error — adapter is already active. Run `iscsi status` to see configured targets. |
| "Datastore not found" when browsing | Datastore names are **case-sensitive**. Run `datastore list` to get the exact name. |
| `get_vsan_health` returns `overall_health: null` | `null` = not asked (see `health_not_queried_reason`), never a measurement; a string is always vSAN's own answer, including its own `"unknown"`. Usual cause: connected to standalone ESXi, but the health service runs in **vCenter**. |
| Rescan doesn't discover new LUNs | Wait 15-30 seconds after adding targets, then rescan again. Verify target IP is reachable from ESXi. |
| "Password not found" error | Variable names follow `VMWARE_<TARGET_UPPER>_PASSWORD` (hyphens → underscores). Check `~/.vmware-storage/.env`. |
| `doctor` fails with "no vSphere role", or every command fails with "session is not authenticated" | The login works but the account has no vSphere role. Assign one (Read-Only or higher) on the vCenter root folder (Administration > Access Control > Global Permissions). Mid-run, the same fault can be an expired session: run the command again. |
| Connection timeout to vCenter | Use `vmware-storage doctor --skip-auth` to bypass auth checks on high-latency networks. |
| "Datastore browse did not finish within Ns" | The datastore is very large or busy. Narrow the search with a sub-path and a specific pattern (e.g. `datastore browse ds01 --path templates --pattern "*.ova"`) instead of browsing the root — do not just retry the same broad browse. |

<!-- usage: remote-and-exposure -->
## Remote access (HTTPS) and limiting tools

By default `vmware-storage mcp` speaks stdio to one local client and offers every tool. Two options change that
(vmware-policy ≥ 1.21.0).

**Serve over HTTPS** so clients on other machines can connect. Every caller needs a bearer token:

```bash
vmware-audit token create alice          # prints the token once; give it to alice
vmware-audit token list                  # names only
vmware-audit token revoke alice          # refused from its next request, no restart
vmware-storage mcp --transport https --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8443 \
    --cert /etc/vmware-mcp/server.pem --key /etc/vmware-mcp/server-key.pem \
    --public-name mcp.example.com
```

Connect a client (Claude Code shown; any MCP client that supports streamable HTTP and custom headers works):

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http vmware-storage https://mcp.example.com:8443/mcp \
    --header "Authorization: Bearer $VMWARE_MCP_TOKEN"
```

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vmware-storage": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.example.com:8443/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer ${VMWARE_MCP_TOKEN}" }
    }
  }
}
```

- The server will not start without a token, refuses Host/Origin values outside `--public-name`, and checks
  before it binds that unauthenticated requests get 401. Use a certificate your clients trust for those names.
- Behind a TLS-terminating reverse proxy on the same machine use `--transport http --host 127.0.0.1
  --public-name mcp.example.com` and pass the `Authorization` header through.
- Behind a load balancer or gateway on another machine, keep `--transport https` (a self-signed certificate is
  fine), list in `--public-name` the host name the balancer sends as `Host`, and have it forward `Authorization`.
  Its health probe can use `GET /healthz`, which needs no token and returns only `{"status": "ok"}`
  (vmware-policy ≥ 1.23.0).
- Send `traceparent` or `X-Request-ID` with each request to have it stored on the audit row;
  `vmware-audit log --correlation-id ID` then finds the calls behind one platform request.
- The audit log records each caller as `token:<name>`. Calls run side by side, also on the same target: the server keeps up to `VMWARE_MCP_POOL_SIZE` (default 2) sessions per target, each one a login on that target, and a call waits at most 300 s for a free session (vmware-policy ≥ 1.22.0).
- **Everyone who can reach the endpoint acts with this server's account.** Tokens identify callers; they grant
  nothing on the platform. Run one endpoint per privilege level. `vmware-storage access-info` shows which account that is and what it may do.
- **Several people or roles on one endpoint:** run `vmware-audit roles enable` once, then give each token a role (`vmware-audit token create NAME --role reader`, or a role in `roles.yaml` naming tools and targets; vmware-policy ≥ 1.24.0). A role limits what the token may call on this endpoint; it cannot grant more than the account has. See vmware-policy's README, "Roles for network callers".

**Offer only read tools, plus the writes you choose:**

```bash
vmware-storage mcp --expose read --allow-write enable_iscsi
# or: VMWARE_STORAGE_MCP_EXPOSE=read VMWARE_STORAGE_MCP_ALLOW_WRITE=enable_iscsi vmware-storage mcp
```

Tools not offered do not appear in the client's tool list. A bad value or an unknown write tool stops the server
(exit 2). This limits what clients are offered; it is not authorization, so the account itself should be
least-privilege.

Details: `skills/vmware-storage/references/setup-guide.md` ("Serving MCP over HTTPS", "Limiting which tools are offered").

## License

[MIT](LICENSE)