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projectja
Contributor
Contributor

Microsoft cluster / datastores and iscsi openfiler

Hi experts,

I am aware the question I bring today is conceptual, however I don't get it.

My small lab consists of:

1ª phisical node Esxi:

- Win 2008 enterp

- Win 2008 enterp

2ª phisical node with Workstation:

- Openfiler

Labs goals:

- Test openfiler and ISCSI

- Test cluster of microsoft with openfiler

So far, I have configured Openfiler with ICSI. In Esxi server I have created the datastore pointing to openfiler server. The datastore is ISCSI.

Now, I have the following question:

Once the datastore is added to the Esx server, I could:

- To use the datastore like a data disk, mapping to any server,  adding a disk in the virtual machine (through Edit settings option....)

- On the other hand, If I wanted to set a MIcrosoft cluster with these two nodes, what would it be the right way to set it? thorught the ISCSI Initiators on each node? Is it necessary to configure the datastore in the Esxi node previosly? does I configure the shared disk through ISCSI initiators directly without considering what is happening on the Esxi datastores?

I think the datastore in a Esxi server is used to vmotion, ha, etc. and when we want to provide cluster service, the quorum disk, etc would have to be mapped directely to the Openfile Server by using iSCSI initiatiors.  Is that right?

Please, I would thank you to give me a hand!

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7 Replies
a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

You can setup the MS cluster either way. To do it using RDM LUNs through the ESXi host, take a look at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004617 (Cluster-in-a-box in your case). With in-guest iSCSI there should be no difference between a virtual and a physical setup.

If you want to use this in production later on, please make sure you keep http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1026596 in mind.

André

habibalby
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi,

Why do you use iSCSI initiator inside the VM itself and avoid the loop storage connection within inside ESX network? I think that will be much better when it comes to clustering.

Thanks,

Best Regards, Hussain Al Sayed Consider awarding points for "correct" or "helpful".
hbato
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Projectja,

Please also note that there are certain issues with regards to using openfiler in clustering in windows 2008. Please read on "SCSI 3 Persistent Reservation" as a requirement for windows clustering which as of the moment openfiler does not "officially" support.

You might like to use other alternatives like FreeNAS which supports SCSI 3 Persistent Reservation.

Regards, Harold

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projectja
Contributor
Contributor

Hi all,
Thansk for the reply
Habibalby, What you mean is "why don't I use SCSI INITIATORS inside WINDOWS" ? is that what you mean?
hhato, It is good to know that. However now, I only try to get better my skills with Esx, NAS, etc
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habibalby
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hi, what I mean is you can connect to the LUNs on Openfiler using iSCSI initiator inside the VM Guest itself, instead of presenting the OpenFilers LUNs to the ESX and then present them to the VM via RDM / VMDK. This will allow you to present any disk using the Target iqn and Initiator iqn.

Please let me know if you want me to clarify more.

Thanks,

Best Regards, Hussain Al Sayed Consider awarding points for "correct" or "helpful".
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hbato
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Projectja,

What I'm trying to tell you is that using openfiler as a storage for windows clustering has a 80:20 chance that it won't work (using the method Habibalby presented). I don't know though about using RDM / VMDK since I haven't got the chance to try it out. As what I have been saying openfiler as of now does not support SCSI 3 Persistent Reservation which is an inevitable requirement for failover clustering.

You could try it out if you want but I have warned you though. If you ever encountered the said error, you might want to try FreeNAS which is almost the same as Openfiler and I'm currently using for test lab.

Regards, Harold
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habibalby
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hello,

MS clustering has got nothing to do with LUN underlying connection whether it's iSCSI / FC or NFS. As long as the LUN/Disks presented to the VM Guest, it means clustering requirement has been fulfilled.

I do have Openfiler running on Dell 2850 with 1.4TB, I'm allowing my Guest VM "Veeam" machine directly accessing this LUN using iSCSI initiator and formatted as NTFS. VM Guest, writing directly to this LUN for backup.

Best Regards, Hussain Al Sayed Consider awarding points for "correct" or "helpful".
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