Hardware iSCSI Adapter Binding Problems

[rfaulconer]

HP DL385 G7 with 2 HP (Broadcom) NC550SFP Dual Port 10GB Adapters. ESXi 4.1 U2

Trying to bind the NC550 dependent hardware adapters to the proper nic.  When I list the association of the HBA and the NIC

esxcli --server servername swiscsi vmnic list -d vmhba#

it displays the wrong physical NIC e.g. vmnic0 which is a 1GB NIC configured as the VM Network and Management Network

I had previously bound the Software iSCSI adapter to the two VMNICs in the NC550SFPs.  However when I list the associated NICs for the Software iSCSI HBA, it lists every NIC in the system.

Tried to just bind the correct physical NIC to the Hardware iSCSI HBA

esxcli --server servername swiscsi nic add -n vmkx -d vmhba#

where vmkx is the physical nic for the NC550 and vmhba# is the HBA for the NC550

and it failed with :  Failed to add a nic

Tried to remove the incorrect association

esxcli --server servername swiscsi nic remove -n vmkx -d vmhba#

where vmkx is the nic that was displayed in the list for hba named vmhba#

and it returned:  NIC is not bound

Don't know where to go next....

[Sreejesh_D]

whats the result when you run this command direct from the host ? not through vMA.

#esxcli swiscsi vmnic list -d vmhba#

[rfaulconer]

The results are the same as when I run the command from the vcli on my desktop.  The 4 Broadcom adapters report association with vmnic0 thru 3 and the software initiator reports association with all vmnics. 

[a_p_]

To understand your current configuration please post the output of

esxcli --server servername swiscsi vmnic list -d vmhba#

as well as

esxcli --server servername swiscsi nic list -d vmhba#

and also attach a screen shot of the network configuration for the iSCSI VMkernel port groups/vSwitch(es).

André

[rfaulconer]

I ran the commands from an SSH session on the host.  I can't figure out how to paste the output so the output is attached as well as the screen captures.

[a_p_]

From what you provided it looks like the two VMkernel ports (vmk1 and vmk2) are still bound to the Software iSCSI adapter (your initial configuration).

The command esxcli swiscsi nic list -d vmhba37 lists the current binding, whereas the command with vmnic instead of nic lists available adapters. If you want to bind the two VMkernel ports to depended iSCSI adapters you'll have to remove them from vmhba37.

André

[christianZ · Accepted solution]

Hi,

in addition my though would be to disable the software iscsi initiator - you want to use only the hardware iscsi adapters, don't you.

Mixing software and hw adapter is not recommended method here, AFAIK.

Reg

Christian

[rfaulconer]

Thanks folks, this was a self-induced problem.  The iSCSI HBAs really are part of the onboard 1GB NICs.  Everything was working as it should except my reading skills.