VMCP is a new technology from vSphere 6.0. VMCP protects storage failures, used typically for block-based storage. Before vSphere 6.0, vSphere HA was only protecting hosts, by monitoring network failures; if the FDM agent is not able to talk with other agents, it can be considered in a fault state from the other agents, and it will be considered in an isolated state itself.
The following two types of storage failures can now be handled:
- Permanent Device Loss (PDL)
- All Paths Down (APD)
For more information about PDL and APD, read VMware KB 2004684—Permanent Device Loss (PDL) and All-Paths-Down (APD) in vSphere 5.x and 6.x at https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2004684 or in Chapter 7, Advanced Storage Management.
When you want to use VMCP, you must configure for the Failures and Responses part of the configuration:
VM Component Protection – Configuration