---
title: "Managing hosts and storage"
description: "Learn how to add and remove hosts and datastores via the OVHcloud Control Panel and vSphere for a Hosted Private Cloud environment."
url: https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/vmware/managing-hosts-storage
lang: en
---
> For AI agents: the complete documentation index is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms.txt, the full documentation bundle is available at https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/llms-full.txt.

# Managing hosts and storage

**Learn how to add and remove hosts and datastores via the OVHcloud Control Panel and vSphere for a Hosted Private Cloud environment.**

**Note:**

Resources will be billed monthly if added through the OVHcloud Control Panel. Resources added through vSphere will need to be modified in OVHcloud Control Panel to monthly billing.

 

## Instructions

### Adding a host

#### Via OVHcloud Control Panel

To add a host in the [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/):
1. Select `Hosted Private Cloud` from the top navigation bar.
2. In the left-hand menu, select `VMware`, your PCC, and then the datacenter to which you want to add a host.
3. On the next screen, choose the `Hosts` tab.
4. Click the `Order a host` button.
5. Select your host and quantity, and click `Confirm order`.

#### Via vSphere

**Warning:** **NOTE:** When a host is added to your HPC environment via vSphere, it will be billed hourly. You must switch the billing from hourly to monthly by going to your datacenter in the OVHcloud Control Panel and selecting the `Hosts` tab. Click the _more options_ `...` button next to the host and select `Switch to monthly subscription`.

To start, log in to your vSphere Web Client. From the left-hand menu:
1. Click the arrow next to your PCC name and then select the datacenter on which you wish to add a host.
2. Click the `Configure` tab.
3. Click `Add host` under the **OVHcloud** heading.
4. Choose the host you wish to add and then click `Next`. On the following page, confirm the details are correct and press `Next` again.

If you already have a host with the specifications that you desire, you can quickly order more of that host. To do so, on the Navigator panel, `right-click the host` with the configurations you wish to add, select `OVHcloud`, and click `More of this Host...`.
This will bring up an order funnel. Confirm the host, and it will be delivered.

 

### Adding a datastore

#### Via OVHcloud Control Panel

To add a datastore in the [OVHcloud Control Panel](https://manager.us.ovhcloud.com/):
1. Select `Hosted Private Cloud` from the top navigation bar.
2. In the left-hand menu, select `VMware`, your PCC, and then the datacenter to which you want to add a host.
3. On the next screen, choose the `Datastores` tab.
4. Click the `Order a datastore` button.
5. Select your type and quantity, and click `Confirm order`.

#### Via vSphere

**Warning:** **NOTE:** When a datastore is added to your HPC environment via vSphere, it will be billed hourly. You must switch the billing from hourly to monthly by going to your datacenter in the OVHcloud Control Panel and selecting the `Datastores` tab. Click the _more options_ `...` button next to the host and select `Switch to monthly subscription`.

To start, log in to your vSphere Web Client. From the left-hand menu:
1. Click the arrow next to your PCC name and then select the datacenter on which you wish to add a datastore.
2. Click the `Configure` tab.
3. Click `Add storage` under the **OVHcloud** heading.
4. Choose the datastore you wish to add and then click `Next`. On the following page, confirm the details are correct and press `Next` again.

If you already have a datastore with the storage specifications that you desire, you can quickly order more of that datastore. To do so, select the storage icon on the left-hand sidebar, `right-click the datastore` you wish to add more of, select `OVHcloud`, and click `More of this storage...`.
This will bring up an order funnel. Confirm the datastore, and it will be delivered.

 

### Removing a host

On the **Host and Clusters** screen, `right-click the host` you would like to remove. Choose `Maintenance Mode` and select `Enter Maintenance Mode`.

Once in maintenance mode, `right-click the host` again, choose `OVHcloud`, and select `Remove this host...`.

Once the task is completed, you will see a confirmation page. Confirm that this is indeed the host you wish to remove and click `NEXT` to remove it.

 

### Removing a datastore

**Warning:**

**NOTE:** For security reasons, the removal request will be blocked if you have virtual machines (VMs) on the datastore concerned (they will be listed in the confirmation window).

Also check that none of the following remain:

- ISO or snapshot attached to a VM;
- template present on the datastore;
- residual file or directory;
- vCLS file.

**Important:**

**WARNING:** Do not select `Unmount Datastore...` when attempting to remove storage. The datastore will no longer be accessible in your HPC environment, but will still appear in your OVHcloud Control Panel and will still be billed.

To remove a datastore, navigate to the `Datastores` tab. Next, `right-click the datastore` you would like to remove and click `Delete Datastore`.

On the pop-up window, confirm that the datastore has no VMs attached to it and select the `NEXT` button. Your datastore will be removed in a few moments.

 

## Go further

Browse all the [VMware on OVHcloud guides](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/hosted-private-cloud/vmware/landing-page-vmware.md).

Browse the rest of the [OVHcloud US documentation](https://docs.us.ovhcloud.com/en/index.md) for guides on our other products and services.

Learn more about [VMware on OVHcloud](https://us.ovhcloud.com/hosted-private-cloud/vmware/) on the OVHcloud US website.