Make iSCSI SAN Accessible to VM via Windows iSCSI Initiator

[manofbronze]

I have a "total newbie" question that I hope can be answered rather quickly.

I have added a new DELL MD3000i SAN to my storage network with the goal of using this SAN exclusively for Windows VMs. I have (2) large vdisks of 4 and 7TB each (yes, I REALLY do need single volumes that large) defined on the MD3000i. The (4) ports of the MD3000i are connected into my iSCSI VLAN and have the default host port id's of 192.168.130.101/102 and 192.168.131.101/102.

I already have a MD3220i installed in the network and working with (2) ESXi 4.1 hosts (192.168.230.101/102, 192.168.231.101/102 subnets). I am quite familiar with how to make the storage accessible to the host via the iSCCI initiator, but I am not certain how to make storage accessible to the VMs WITHOUT using the hosts to connect to the iSCSI SAN, create a data store, then add a new virtual disk for the vm.

Only the vmnics dedicated to the iSCSI initiator have physical links to the iSCSI VLAN (vSwitch01). The network switch has (2) nics connected to the "inside" network via vSwitch0.

Any ideas on how best to "get there from here"? :smileyconfused:

[DSTAVERT]

If you need access to volumes that large you the only option will be to use the iSCSI initiators within the Windows servers directly to the storage. You will not be able to use individual LUNs that large.

[MauroBonder]

This maybe helfpful http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101054...

and this http://communities.vmware.com/thread/282477?tstart=0

Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers. 

Mauro Bonder - Moderator

[arturka001]

Hi

I'm not sure If I got your point, you wanna connect iSCSI SAN directly to your VM's, create VMDK disks and connect VMDK disks to your VM's ? If yes, it's ot possible, and max VMDK filesize is 2TB. So if you wanna have 4TB and 7TB disks attached to VM's you have to connect iSCSI SAN directly to your VM's

Artur

[MauroBonder]

The maximum is 2TB - 512 minus to RDM. And to VMDK too, but with vmdk you can use extend, with maximum of 64tb (32 extends)

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003565

Please, don't forget the awarding points for "helpful" and/or "correct" answers.

Mauro Bonder - Moderator

[DSTAVERT]

The only other way to get access to the storage using VMDKs would be to create LUNs smaller that 2TB and present them to ESX. You could either expand the datastore using extents to create your 4TB and 7TB datastores or use them as individual datastores. You would be limited to slightly less than 2TB VMDKs but you could use DFS or mounts to "stick" the vmdks together to create the large storage space. A little messy but it could be done.

[manofbronze]

DSTAVERT ... Right, that is what I am trying to do; I just don't know how to configure my host servers so that windows guest vms can have virtual nics with visibility to the 192.168.130.xxx and 192.168.131.xxx subnets on my iSCSI VLAN.

[vmroyale · Accepted solution]

Hello.

You will need to create a virtual machine port group on the same vSwitch that your iSCSI port group is created in.  Give the VM a 2nd NIC and then assign it to the virtual machine port group created earlier.

Good Luck!

[manofbronze]

I can tell by the responses I am getting that I did not make myself clear on my objective.

Simply stated. I need volumes in excess of the VMWare 2TB limit and I don't want to to use VMFS extents, so I want to allow the VMs to directly access the iSCSI LUNS using the windows iSCSI initiator. I am not certain how I should configure the hosts to make this happen.

Currently, I have (6) vmnics on each host. Each host has (2) virtual switches. vSwitch0 on each host has (2)vmnics connected to the "inside network" VLAN and vSwitch01 has (4) vmnics connected into the iSCSI VLAN. On each host vSwitch01 has vmkernel ports defined for iSCSI access to the MD3220, which houses a bunch of VMs. These vmnics are also boud to the iSCSI intiator and we are humming along "merrily" with the MD3220, living life with 2TB-512KB data stores.

Where do I put the virtual nics that I will be using for my VMs in order to allow them direct access to the MD3000i (192.168.130.xxx and .131.xxx subnets)? I am assuming I will need a network configured on vSwitch01, as that has the physical connections into the iSCSI VLAN ... but how do I do this and what are the ramifications?

I appreciate everyone's help and hope I have made my self clearer this time ...:smileyblush:

[manofbronze]

VMROYALE ...

Thanks, that was what I was looking for.

[DSTAVERT]

You will need to add a second virtual NIC to the the VM and make sure it is connected to the portgroup associated with the iSCSI lan. You will need to add an IP address to NIC inside the Windows server that corresponds to the subnet the Dell iSCSI device is using.