Introduction

This proven practice has been created in response to Proven practice needed: integrating CLARiiON iSCSI with ESX

Taken from VMware internal training material from the support organization, this is the recommended method for the VMware lab environment.

Intended Audience

VMware Administrators / VMware Certified Professionals, EMC Storage Professionals

Outline

Configuring iSCSI on ESX

1. Launch Add Networking Wizard

2. Set the Connection Type to VMkernel

3. Select the Virtual Switch associated with your Service Console network

4. Populate VMkernel IP Address and Subnet mask

5. Do not select the Use this port group for vMotion checkbox

6. Close the DNS Configuration box

7. Review the Ready to Complete page, and Finish

8. Open the Firewall Port for the iSCSI Software Client

9. Configure the iSCSI software-initiated Storage Adapter

10. Discover some iSCSI targets

Creating & Presenting LUNs on EMC CX-320c FC/iSCSI filer

1. Browse to the CLARiiON array

2. Select File view and login

3. Register iSCSI initiator on the array

4. Populate the initiator record

5. Register the initiator on the other storage processor

6. Create a new storage group

7. Connect hosts

8. Select LUNs

9. Check VirtualCenter

Author

Written by Cormac Hogan, VMware Production Support Engineer

Requested by Guy Chapman, Sungard

Published by Steve Chambers, VMware

Resources

• VIOPS Discussion Proven practice needed: integrating CLARiiON iSCSI with ESX

• Jeremy Waldrop's ISCSI Multipathing with Clariion CX3-10c and VMware ESX 3.5

Disclaimer

You use this proven practice at your discretion. VMware and the author do not guarantee any results from the use of this proven practice. This proven practice is provided on an as-is basis and is for demonstration purposes only.

How to use this Practice

This proven practice is in the format of a step-by-step guide to follow.

When you initially try to add a software iSCSI initiator you will get a message that says "Cannot configure software iSCSI" "VMotion and IP Storage has not been enabled".

To resolve this you must configure a "VMotion and IP Storage" connection via the networking configuration.

Step 1 - Launch Add Networking Wizard

From the Networking view, click the Add Networking link - The Add Networking Wizard appears.

Step 2 - Set the Connection Type to VMkernel

Select the Connection Type and click Next. Selecting VMKernel allows you to connect the VMkernel, which runs services for VMotion and IP Storage (NFS or iSCSI), to the physical network.

The Network Access screen appears.

Step 3 - Select the Virtual Switch associated with your Service Console network

Click Next - The Connection Settings screen appears.

Step 4 - Populate with the VMkernel IP address & Subnet mask. You may see the following pop-up:

If you do, set the default gateway to be the same as that provided for the Service Console gateway.

Step 5- Do not select the Use this port group for VMotion check box.

Step 6 - Click OK to save your changes and close the DNS Configuration dialog box.

Step 7 - Review your changes on the Ready to Complete page and click Finish.

Step 8 - Open the Firewall Port for iSCSI Software Client

8a. Start the VI Client.

8b. Click the server icon in the inventory panel.

8c. On the Configuration tab, click Security Profile.

8d. Click Properties to open the Internet Services dialog box. This dialog box lists all the services and management agents you can configure for the host.

8e. Check if Software iSCSI Client is enabled. If not, select the check boxes for the Software iSCSI Client to enable. The Port Range column indicates the port or ports that VirtualCenter opens for the service, and the Protocol column indicates the protocol the service uses.

8f. Click OK.

Step 9 - Configuring the iSCSI Software-Initiated Storage Adapter

9a. Log into the VMware VI Client and select a server from the inventory panel.

9b. Click the Configuration tab, then click Storage Adapter. The list of available storage adapters appears.

9c. Choose one of the iSCSI software adapters. The details for the vmhba display, including the model, IP address, iSCSI name, discovery methods, iSCSI alias, and any discovered targets.

9d. Click Properties.

9e. Click Configure to enable the adapter and assign the adapter an alias. The network status and the adapter's default name and alias display. The software initiator status displays as Disabled if the initiator is not configured. After configuration, the status displays as Enabled.

Step 10 - Discover some iSCSI targets

Once the SW iSCSI initiator is enabled, you can change the name through this dialog if you wish. You'll have to reboot ESX for this name change to happen.

10a. Click OK to save your changes.

10b. Click the Dynamic Discovery tab to add, edit, or remove dynamic send target discovery addresses. Note: HBAs attempt to initiate sessions with the list of targets in the dynamic discovery list. An entry in this list does not indicate an active session.

10c. Select an existing address and click Edit or Remove to change or delete the address.

10d. Click Add... to add a new Send Target address. Enter the IP address of the iSCSI target (array) and click OK. After the new send target address is added, discovered targets appear in the Static Discovery list.

Here I have used a sample IP address. You will need to add the IP of the EMC CX FC & iSCSI array. You should see the iSCSI Send Targets populate in the Dynamic discovery window. Note the 3260 iSCSI port.

Step 11 - Now, you will have to do the array configuration to complete registration steps for the software iSCSI initiator. Once that is done and LUNs are associated with the initiator, you should be able to discover them on the ESX by initiating a rescan.

• Connect to the EMC Clariion CX-320c Navisphere application via a browser.

• Map 1 disk on the CX-320c to your ESX software iSCSI initiator.

Step 1:Point your browser at the array. Management IP addresses for the CX array .

Step 2:Select filer view and login with privileges.

Step 3:Register your Software iSCSI Initiators on the array. Your software initiator should already be logging on to the array but it is not registered. You have to register it before putting it into a storage group. Once it is in a storage group, we can assign LUNs to the same storage group so that the ESX can see them over iSCSI. In Navisphere, select the array icon:

right click on it, and select Connectivity Status. This opens the following window:

You should see the IQNs (ISCSI Qualified Names) of your software iSCSI initiator in the initiator records. However these are not yet registered on the array, so select one of the IQNs and click the Register button.

Step 4: Populate the Initiator record as follows:

• Initiator Type: Clariion Open

• Unit Serial Number: Array (default)

• ArrayCommPath: Check (default)

• Failover Mode: 1 (default)

• Vendor: blank (default)

• Model: blank (default)

• Host Information: New Host (default)

• Hostname: this will be the hostname of your ESX with iscsi tagged on, e.g. cs-trn-h91iscsi

• IP Address: VMkernel IP address. This can be found in the lab layout. A populated example appears below:

Click OK, and answer Yes & OK to any pop-ups.

Step 5: Register the software iSCSI initiator on the other SP. This is easier as all you have to do is select Register and select Existing Host in the Host Information.

Note that the Initiator Type must still be set to Clariion Open. Click OK, and answer Yes & OK to any pop-ups.

Step 6: Create a new Storage Group called hostname_iscsi, e.g. SG-cs_trn_h91_iscsi. Add the initiator previously created to the group and one LUN. The LUN that should be assigned to your server is listed in the lab layout document. Select the Storage Groups link in Navisphere:

right click and select Create Storage Group. Populate the name using the convention discusses previously. Click OK.

Step 7: When the storage group is created, right click on it and select Connect Hosts. This will open a window which will show the name of the host that you created in step 4 which represents the software iSCSI initiators from your ESX.

Step 8: Select the host and click the arrow in the middle of the window to move it to the Hosts to be Connected section.

Click OK.

Step 9: Select the iSCSI Storage Group, right click again, but this time select Select LUNs. You might need to check both Storage Processors.

Click OK.

Step 10: That completes the setup at the array side. Next step is to check the discovered targets via Virtual Center. Select the software iSCSI initiator and click rescan.

That completes the iSCSI lab.