Run the vSAN Cluster Configuration wizard to assign the newly added host as the dedicated Witness node for your 2-host or stretched cluster. Share public link
As of 2026, all VMware products, including the vSAN Witness Appliance, are managed through the Broadcom Support Portal.
Deploy the downloaded OVA file using your vSphere Client tool.
Step-by-Step Guide: Download vSAN Witness Appliance (Broadcom Portal)
As a crucial component of VMware's vSAN (Virtual SAN) architecture, the vSAN Witness Appliance plays a vital role in ensuring data availability and consistency across a vSAN cluster. In this article, we will walk you through the process of downloading and deploying the vSAN Witness Appliance, as well as provide an in-depth understanding of its functionality and importance in a vSAN environment. download vsan witness appliance
Import the OVA into your vCenter environment, ensuring it is placed on a datastore from the vSAN cluster it will be monitoring. Networking:
Select the physical host or cluster outside of the vSAN cluster it will be watching (the witness cannot run on the vSAN storage it is protecting). Step 2: Select Configuration and Storage Accept the extra configuration parameters.
Fits up to 10 virtual machines. Uses 2 CPUs and 8 GB RAM.
The vSAN Witness Appliance is available on VMware Customer Connect (formerly My VMware) as a standalone download. Instead, it is bundled with the vSphere ISO image . Run the vSAN Cluster Configuration wizard to assign
Reviewing the VMware vSAN Witness Appliance reveals it is a critical, virtualized ESXi host used primarily to provide quorum in 2-node or stretched cluster configurations. By acting as a "tie-breaker," it prevents "split-brain" scenarios where two sites might otherwise lose sync during a network failure. Key Benefits & Use Cases Cost Efficiency:
Log in to the Broadcom Support Portal (formerly VMware Customer Connect).
Accept the to enable the download button.
The vSAN Witness Appliance is a critical component for and 2-Node vSAN Clusters . It acts as a "tie-breaker" (the third vote) to maintain quorum and prevent data loss or a "split-brain" scenario if one site or node fails. Networking: Select the physical host or cluster outside
After deploying the downloaded OVA file, complete these final steps to verify functionality:
Step-by-Step: Downloading & Deploying the vSAN Witness Appliance If you are setting up a 2-Node vSAN Stretched Cluster
After deploying the vSAN Witness Appliance, you will need to configure it to work with your vSAN stretched cluster. This includes: