Do vSphere essential edition support iSCSI with failover and load balance?

[KennethLam]

Hi all,

Currently, we are using vMware vSphere 6.0 with essential license and we are planning to acquire a new Nimble SAN storage device connected with iSCSI storage. My question is that does essential license support: (1.) The ESXI host to connect the SAN using iSCSI. (2.) Using iSCSI with multi-path{2 NICs to 2 switch to SAN} for load balance  and (3.) Using iSCSI with multi-path{2 NICs to 2 switch to SAN} for failover?

Thank you.

Kenneth

[SupreetK]

Software iSCSI is not a license dependent feature. It should work even on the Essentials kit.

Cheers,

Supreet

[IRIX201110141 · Accepted solution]

... and on the free vSphere Hypervisor also.

How to configure iSCSI and about Failover/LB it depends on the Storage. Long time a go there was a license option named "3rd.Party MPIO" and on paper youre allowed to install special vendor plugins (Dell EQL, EMC Powerpath, HP Lefthand?) for a "better work together". In real life you can install it on every vsphere edition.

Regards,

Joerg

[KennethLam]

Thank you for your information. But I also want to know does the vMware standard PSPs can support both functions of Failover and Load Balance at same time?