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vSphere4 - iSCSI Configuration Standard

Summary:

This document outlines the process for configuring iSCSI in Vmware vSphere 4 and ESX 4 environment. Thisdocument assumes that the reader currently understands and knows their way around vCenter 4 using the Vmwareviclient. This document also assumes that the user has the appropriate rights to do all the tasks required. This setupwith the use of iSCSI is geared more for the HP P4500 SAN appliance but could be used in other environments. Thecreator of this document is in no way affiliated with Vmware or HP and is not responsible for any adverse affects,performance issues, or downtime that may occur by performing the steps in this document. In other words - "Use atyour own risk!"

Requirements:

• vSphere 4• ESX host with 6x nic ports• 6x 1gigE nic ports minimum• 2x 1gigE network switches• multiple ip addresses (one for each nic to be used for iscsi, vmotion, & service console)

Create VMkernel Port Group:

1. Login to vCenter with the Vmware vSphere client2. Select the ESX host then click the "Configuration" tab3. Click the "Networking" section4. Click "Add Networking"5. Select "VMkernel" then next6. Select the appropriate nic ports to be used for iSCSI traffic7. Name the port group i.e. iSCSI-# or iSCSI-1 then click next8. Enter the ip address and subnet. Edit the gateway if it needed then click next9. Click Finish

Standard vSwitch Configuration:

The standard configuration should be used for the Virtual and Distributed Switches. The only addition to the currentstandard when using iSCSI is to create a dedicated standard vSwitch with standard port groups (NOT Distributed

Port Groups) as shown below. A minimum of 2x physical nic ports are required and a minimum of 2x vmkernelport groups are required. The vmkernel port groups should be name iSCSI-x i.e. iSCSI-1 as shown below.

Each vmkernel port group will be configured with a single physical active nic port as shown below. All other nicports will be set to "unused" by checking the "Override vSwitch failover order", selecting the nic, then clicking the"Move Down" button. There should not be any standby adapters.

From the command line, bind both VMkernel ports to the software iSCSI adapter. The vmkernel# and vmhba##must match the correct numbers for the ESX or ESXi server and virtual switch you are configuring, for example:

• esxcli swiscsi nic add -n vmk1 -d vmhba33

• esxcli swiscsi nic add -n vmk2 -d vmhba33

Verify by running this command where both vmk1 and vmk2 should be listed.

• esxcli swiscsi nic list -d vmhba33

Once configured correctly, perform a rescan of the iSCSI adapter. An iSCSI session should be connected for eachVMkernel bound to the software iSCSI adapter. This gives each iSCSI LUN two iSCSI paths using two separatephysical network adapters.

To achieve load balancing across the two paths, datastores should be configured with a path selection policy ofround robin. This can be done manually for each datastore in the vSphere client or ESX can be configured toautomatically choose round robin for all datastores. To make all new datastores automatically use round robin,configure ESX to use it as the default path selection policy from the command line:

• esxcli corestorage claiming unclaim --type location• esxcli nmp satp setdefaultpsp --satp VMW_SATP_DEFAULT_AA --psp VMW_PSP_RR• esxcli corestorage claimrule load• esxcli corestorage claimrule run

The end result should look like this.

It is important to note that native vSphere 4 multi-pathing cannot be used with HP P4000 Multi-Site SANconfigurations that utilize more than one subnet and VIP (virtual IP). Multiple paths cannot be routed across thosesubnets by the ESX/ESXi 4 initiator.

Logical Layout:

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