Connect ESX using ISCSI and Dell Array with 2 iscsi targets

[ICTbeheer2]

Hi,

We have a Dell Compellent SC2020 storage array. It has 2 fault domains with 2 targets in 2 different subnets. The host has 4 iiscsi network adapters (1Gb) and is connected through 2 dedicated iscsi switches. I am bit confused how this should be configured in VMware. I understand that when I use 2 network adapters I can create a 1:1 connection with the array using both subnets and not use iscsi port binding. This would separate traffic to both the fault domains going through it dedicated switch.

If I have just 1 array fault domain I could simply put all adapters in the same subnet, stack both switches and use network port binding. But with this model I have to use 2 fault domains.

Now the question is how you hookup all 4 host network adapters. Do you somehow make 2 x 2 pairs in each subnet? If so do you somehow use port binding or not.

Thanks

Regards

Arnold

[golddiggie]

Is there a MPIO extension available for the SC2020 array that you can install on your host? That would give you built-in multipathing to the storage and make part of the task easy. I've used the MPIO extensions for EqualLogic (PS6210X) arrays with great results. It also helped that these were using 10Gb adapters (two active each). But they were connected to a dedicated iSCSI switch.

Depending on the release of vSphere/ESXi you're using is how you would set up the NICs. I would set up the adapters (are you using hardware/CNA cards, or software adapter?) so that you have all of them active.

I'm pretty sure this type of setup is covered in existing documentation. So it's not rocket surgery.

[ICTbeheer2]

As far as I know there is no MPIO module for the SC2000. The previous storage was a EqualLogic and that one had a MPIO module.

I agree there is a lot of documentation about 2x 10Gb adapters and that's not really a problem. You build two subnets with two switches and that would work fine. However if you want to use 4x 1Gb adapters and use mpio then I think you always end up with only 2 adapters active. Like I said it would not be a problem if the array would just have 1 fault domain.

I guess you use 2 adapters for every subnet but because VMware documentation says you should NOT use port binding when using subnets you can't use all adapters for mpio (i think because VMware will just use the first adapter in the routingtable). They only thing i can think of is using fixed paths.

Config A using 4x 1Gb adapters

NIC 1Gb \

NIC 1Gb -

                    vSwitch > USE port binding > Array Fault Domain 1 iscsi target

NIC 1Gb -

NIC 1Gb /

Config B using 2x 10Gb adapters

NIC 10Gb -      vSwitch 1 > NO port binding >  Fault Domain 1 target in subnet 1

NIC 10Gb -      vSwitch 2 > NO port binding >  Fault Domain 2 target in subnet 2

So perhaps i am thinking this the wrong way but if I want (need) 2 Fault Domains with 4 scsi host adapters, I need somehow a combination of config A en config B