iSCSI in production

[rriva]

Hi all,

I've got to plan some low budget installation with shared storage and I would like to use iSCSI to avoid FC.

I've not used it in the past, so what I'm asking is :

- Who use iSCSI in production ?

- What are you using ?

- Someone use OpenFiler or other Linux Distribution to create iSCSI Target.

If someone use OpenFiler or other Linux, how you can define the performance ? Have you tested with database (Oracle or other) ?

let me know.

TIA

R

[doubleH]

I only use iSCSI SAN products in production.

I use only EqualLogic iSCSI products.

I've used OpenFiler for proof of concpets and testing thaT went well, but not for production.

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[mittim12]

We use a EMC Celerra to provide iSCSI LUNS in our production environment and have had very positive results with it. We haven't run any databases but plenty of application servers.

I haven't used OpenFiler or anything like that for iSCSI but we used a cheap NFS solution to provide shared storage in our lab environment so NFS might work as well.

[ctfoster]

I've been using iSCSI for six months now - Dell 2950's fronting EMC CX3-10c. Only issues I've had was in the initial configuration and getting over some preconceptions of how ISCSI works in a fault tolerant manner with the software initiator. If you are searching for an entry level solution from the same SAN family the new Dell AX4-5 might be worth a look.

If your budget ever stretched as far as FC you should be able to buy into a good iSCSI solution without scaring the bean counters.

[Cloneranger]

I use Equallogic PS3600 arrays in production,

I had I lot of 'fun' with these, loads of problems, hosts and vms falling over,

Turned out to be firmware issue of the SAN controllers themselves, Equallogic were not very helpful, content to blame my switches (CISCO 4948s at the time) etc, diagnosed the fault myself in the end,

Seems to be ok now though, I wish my collegues had listened to me and bought an EVA if i am honest,

I am not an ISCSI fan.

[mike_laspina]

Hello,

I use iSCSI in the testlab, home and the dev environment. I would suggest a SUN Solaris 10 ZFS X4500 server. It's rock solid and easy to admin.

You may also want to look at this if you are going to place it in the production world.

[cmanucy]

We're migrating from FC to iSCSI. About 75% done.

iSCSI on LeftHand in production, replicated to a DR site. We're having one issue with VCB that we're looking into - but this has had no affect on the VM's, and just added inconvenience to us to have to make sure some hosts are being backed up. This could well be a simple mis-configuration - I wouldn't expect this problem to continue once we properly diagnose it.

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Carter Manucy