How to add S2D-backed disks to Azure Local VMs using the GUI

Azure Stack HCI / Windows Server 2022 Datacenter with Hyper-V and Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) already enabled on your cluster

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure:

• ✅ You already have an Azure Stack HCI cluster or Windows Server Failover Cluster with S2D enabled.
  You can check in Windows Admin Center → Cluster Manager → Storage → Pools.

• ✅ The S2D cluster volumes (CSV) are visible under

  C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1
  C:\ClusterStorage\Volume2
  

• ✅ You have VMs already deployed or you’re about to create them on the cluster.

Open Windows Admin Center

1. Launch Windows Admin Center (https://<hostname>:6516).

2. Connect to your Azure Stack HCI cluster.

3. Go to “Storage” → “Volumes”.
   You’ll see your S2D CSV volumes listed (for example, Volume1, Volume2).

Verify or Create a New S2D Volume (Optional)

If you need to create new S2D disks (CSV volumes):

1. In WAC → Cluster → Storage → Volumes, click + Add.

2. Select “New volume”.

3. Choose:

   • Storage Pool: (the default S2D pool)

   • Name: e.g., SQLData

   • File system: ReFS (recommended) or NTFS

   • Size: (e.g., 500 GB)

4. Click Create.
   This adds a new Cluster Shared Volume (CSV) that will appear as:

   C:\ClusterStorage\SQLData\

Add or Move a VM onto the S2D Storage

Now you’ll place your VM’s disks onto the S2D CSV volume.

When Creating a New VM

1. In WAC → Virtual Machines → Add.

2. Choose the cluster node where the VM will live.

3. In “Virtual hard disks”, browse to:

   C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\VMName\

4. Create the new VHDX file there.

5. Continue the wizard — now the VM’s disks live on the S2D CSV storage (highly available).

For Existing VMs

If you already have a VM and want to move its VHDX onto S2D:

Using Failover Cluster Manager (FCM)

1. Open Failover Cluster Manager.

2. Expand your cluster → Roles → right-click the VM → Move → Storage → Select Node or Disk.

3. Choose the CSV volume (C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1) as the destination.

4. Wait for the move to complete — the VM’s files now live on S2D.

Or Using Windows Admin Center

1. Go to the VM tab → select your VM.

2. Under Settings → Disks, click Move next to the VHDX path.

3. Choose the new CSV volume path and click Move.

Add Additional Data Disks to the VM

You can add extra virtual disks to your VM, also stored on the S2D CSV.

1. In Windows Admin Center, open your VM → Disks → Add Disk.

2. Choose:

   • Create a new virtual hard disk

   • Location: Browse to C:\ClusterStorage\Volume1\VMName\

   • Size: Choose disk size (e.g., 200 GB)

   • Type: Dynamic or Fixed

3. Click Add.

Alternatively, in Failover Cluster Manager → Roles → VM → Settings → SCSI Controller → Hard Drive → Browse, pick a path on a CSV.

Now your VM has an extra disk stored on S2D storage.

Make the VM Highly Available

If the VM isn’t already clustered:

1. In Failover Cluster Manager → Roles, right-click Virtual Machines → Configure Role → Virtual Machine.

2. Select your VM → Next → Finish.

Now the VM will automatically fail over between cluster nodes, and its storage is protected by S2D replication.

Verification

You can confirm everything is working by checking:

• In FCM → Storage → Disks, the CSVs show as Online.

• In WAC → Virtual Machines → [VM] → Disks, the disk paths start with:

  C:\ClusterStorage\

• In Hyper-V Manager → VM Settings → Hard Drive, the path matches the CSV location.