Download Better Vsan Witness Appliance Jun 2026

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vCenter will now configure the cluster logic. The Witness host will move from being a generic host in your inventory to being "owned" by the Stretched Cluster configuration.

Look up your current vSphere and vSAN version number. download vsan witness appliance

In a standard vSAN cluster, data is mirrored or distributed across multiple hosts. However, in smaller or geographically separated environments—such as or vSAN Stretched Clusters —a third entity is required to maintain a quorum. The Witness Appliance does not store actual data; instead, it stores metadata (witness components). If one node fails, the Witness allows the remaining node to verify that it holds the most recent version of the data, preventing "split-brain" scenarios. Why Download the Virtual Appliance?

Enter the Witness Appliance. It acts as the . It does not store any user data; its sole job is to participate in the heartbeat and quorum voting process. If one of the two data nodes fails, the Witness helps the surviving node determine that it should continue running VMs. This public link is valid for 7 days

While it acts like a third host, it doesn’t store actual VM data—only metadata. This makes it a lightweight, virtualized ESXi host that can run on a much smaller footprint.

Downloading the vSAN Witness Appliance is the first step toward building a resilient, high-availability storage solution for small or distributed environments. Always ensure you are grabbing the latest patch level that matches your environment to avoid compatibility headaches. Can’t copy the link right now

Now that the Witness is a standalone host in your vCenter inventory, you must assign it to your vSAN cluster.

Assign the management network and the vSAN traffic network. Step 5: Configure the Cluster Once deployed, connect the witness to your vSAN cluster. Turn On: Power on the new witness virtual machine. Add Host: Add the witness to vCenter as a managed host.

During deployment, you will be prompted to select a deployment size. Choose the profile that matches your cluster size: Deployment Size Max Component Count Boot Disk (SSD/HDD) vSAN Capacity Disk Up to 750 components Normal Up to 21,000 components Large More than 21,000 components

Complete Guide to Downloading and Deploying the vSAN Witness Appliance