Accelerated iSCSI Setup?

[Greg Topf]

I have a storage server (DL380 G5) and I purchased and installed the accelerated iSCSI license for one of the NICs. I've designated it as an iSCSI device and am successfully passing traffic over it, but I don't think I'm actually getting the acceleration. I've saturated the 1 gig connection easily, and looking at the info on the NIC properties under the network config utility, the TOE connections are zero, and even under the general statistics tab, the iSCSI bytes tx/rx are also zero.

Note that I've assigned the IP address on the Windows network connection, NOT the HP iSCSI properties. When I tried to assign it there, it couldnt pass traffic.

Help?

[Lmm_1]

Hi Greg,
Once the iscsi device is enabled, yo need to assign and the ip from the NCU, then when setting up the connection to the target, you need to specify the virtual HBA as the source of the connection, it will be from the MS iSCSI initiator GUI. When using the virtual HBA, all traffic will be offloaded to the NIC.

If you use the regular NIC as the source of the iscsi connection, the offloading decission will be made by the OS, most of the times only long lived connections.

Most of the targets that I´ve seen, you need to specify the initator that will connect, it must be done before you login in to the target.

rgds,
Lmm

[Greg Topf]

Thanks. I was able to assign the address finally, but ran into another problem....
I'm using the Microsoft iSCSI target, and it won't allow me to assign it to listen on any address other than ones configured on the NIC...so even if I assign an address through the NCU, I can't get the Microsoft iSCSI target to allow me to use it as an address...

Any thoughts?

[Lmm_1]

When setting up the target on the MS application use the iqn insted of the IP, then make sure that you use the HBA and its onw IP when opening the connection on the initiator, on the discovery tab go to advance.

rgds,
lmm

[Greg Topf]

This isnt using the Microsoft iSCSI initiator, it's the Microsoft iSCSI target. Would this work in that case?

[Lmm_1]

Well, you need both, the initiator on the client side, and the target on the Server or shared storage side.

[Greg Topf]

Yes, and I'm referring to the server. In the server properties you need to specify which IP addresses listen on 3260. It's only a check-box option, and it only shows the addresses assigned to the NICs through Windows, not the NCU. I'm attaching a screenshot of what I see on the target's properties.

[Lmm_1]

Try to create another target, use the iqn shown on the initiator on the client side, Im attaching a set of pictures that might help you.

[Greg Topf]

OK, thanks for helping. So I guess I'm missing a step here. I've got the target created using the IQN. But what do I need to do on the initiator? That's where I'm getting confused since I'm using this with VMWARE ESX, so it doesnt using the microsoft initiator. Does the initiator on the iSCSI server play a part in this all? That's the step Im missing...

Thanks by the way....!

[Lmm_1]

Ah my bad, tough you were using Windows on the client side, Honestly I havent set this up with ESX but the VMWARE iniator looks same as MS. Look at this file.

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3/r35/vi3_35_25_iscsi_san_cfg.pdf

rgds,
lmm

[Greg Topf]

So therein lies my problem....I cant figure out how to get a target to listen on an IP. I entered the specific information into the vmware initiator, but the MS Target just won't even see anything on any address it doesnt have through Windows.....

[Lmm_1]

That coul be the reason also, MS target could be limited to MS iscsi initiator only, but that I dont know, it should be a question for MS people.

[Greg Topf]

Ill bet that's the problem....

OK, thanks!

[Richard Litchfield_1]

Hi there,

I have used the MS Target software (comes with the AiO 600) to host iSCSI LUNs for ESXi. Works fine.

Note that the iSCSI Accelerator only works with the Windows Initiators - not the Windows Target, or ESX.

Rdgs,
Richard