VMKernel cannot ping out, but I can ping in.....

[Sherdy]

Hi

I am a relvative newbie to ESX, I recently pruchased a Dell MD3000i, so embarked on configuring iSCSI. I have created a virtual switches and allocated them IP addresses with the range for my iSCSI devices

I can ping the IP addresses (in the iSCSI subnet) allocated to my VMWare switches and I recieve responses.

I can also ping the IP addresses(also in the iSCSI subnet) allocated to my 3000i from a Windows box on my network.

If I try to ping anything on the iSCSI subnet from the VMWare server quite litterally nothing happens. Sometimes after a delay I get a reply from an unknown IP informing me the the reply was filterered. Mostly nothing, the cursor just moves to the next line and sits there indefinately. I have now tried this on two Dell Servers, using the built in NIC's (one a Dell 860 the other a Dell 1850).

I am using 3.5 update 3, I have installed uninstalled a few times and followed both a couple of walkthroughs from this site.

One thing I would like to point out, during the configuration of the virtual switches it did inform me that I didnt have a gateway, well I quite simply dont have a gateway on that subnet, but all the devices are local so I cannot see how this would affect it. Like I said I am a VMware newbie, so I am not sure how the virtual switches do their thing and if this could have an impact.

Any help, pointers or guidence would be greatly appreciated, I have a brand new toy and can only make it work with my Windows boxes at the moment! )-: I so want to try Vmotion and HA for real!

Paul

[weinstein5]

Did you use the vmkping command or ping command? vmkping will utilize the vmkernel port while the ping will use the service console port. Are using ESX or ESXi - if you are using ESX you will need to make sure the service console port can get to the iSCSI SAN IP addresses and that the iSCSI port is opened on teh service console firewall.

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[titaniumlegs]

You are correct that you don't need a default gateway for the VMkernel.

For SW iSCSI in ESX, you need both a sevice console port and a vmkernel port that can reach the storage device, ideally on the same subnet. At a bare minimum, the VMkernel has to be on the same subnet as the preferred network for the storage, and the service console has to be able to reach the storage through any network. (The two ports being on the same subnet was a hard requirement prior to 3.5, but I would still call it a best practice.)

To check connectivity from the vmkernel, make sure you use vmkping, not ping (which pings from the service console).

Also, make sure the VMkernels can ping each other (server to server). I use the following combinations to check it all out:

# ping storagethingy

# vmkping storagethingy

# ping esx2-vmk <<< Put the IP or resolvable host name for the VMK port on the other ESX server

# vmkping esx2-vmk <<< Put the IP or resolvable host name for the VMK port

Do the same from esx2, then ping both service consoles and VMKs from thestorage device.

See also

Enjoy!

Peter

[Sherdy]

Peter,

Thank you for your quick repsonse and all the information. vmkping I did not know about so I am glad I learnt something from you.

I have resolved my issue, part with help from you.

It seems obvious in hindsight, but in my haste to play with my new toy I didnt really think about the iSCSI names and alias, I created an VD and used the alias instead of the name...

But I did find you post and links helpful and informative.... Any other newbies out there, less haste and think!

Kind regards

Paul