1510i iSCSI boot from SAN with BLADE BL20G3

[ChrisMorley]

Hi, im looking at BL20 G3 blade system and getting it to boot from a 1510i iSCSI controller shelf. Is it possible?

I've read a few places the 1510i doesnt support booting, and also i cant seem to find a HBA for the blade which has a boot from SAN capability (the HP nc370i NIC module for the BL20G3 has no mention either).

I want to boot from SAN but use iSCSI to cut down on costs and increase reliability. Will i be forced to use more expensive fibre channel?

Cheers,

Chris

[Allan D'Souza]

Boot from SAN should be a mostly a iSCSI HBA issue. As of yet the MSA1510i only certifies support for the microsoft iSCSI Initiator. So using a iSCSI HBA would be experimental. The Adaptec iSCSI HBA has boot from SAN support. The NC370T is only supported in dumb NIC mode for the MSA1510i. If and when they do add support for the iSCSI offload on it I would think the boot from SAN will work with it as well.

[ChrisMorley]

Thanks for the reply. Ok cheers, what HBA's can you recommend?

Ideally i am looking for HBAs that will fit in HP Blades, otherwise standard pci-x will have to do and ill just use Proliant DL380's. Boot from san is more important than small form factor for me.

Cheers,

Chris

[Allan D'Souza]

The NC370T boot from SAN is not yet released but it would be your best bet. Microsoft is spearheading a initiative to allow a software iSCSI enabled SAN boot. There is a company called emBoot that has something similar that may work from standard NICs as well and use the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator. You would be doing leading edge stuff if this were to work.

[David in Tennessee]

This new info looks relative to your problem.

Press release about booting over standard Ethernet adapters.

http://neterion.boldfocus.com/news/press/pr060927.html