iSCSI initiator (software) IP address?

[Mayur_Patel]

Hello:

I have ESX 3.0.1 connected to a Promise iSCSI target. In the Network Configuration I have configured a Virtual Switch (vswitch 1) a Service Console port (for SC 2 w/IP: 10.1.1.26) and a Kernel port (for iSCSI w/ip 10.1.1.25).

I also have another vswitch (vswitch 0) configured with a service console port (primary console w/ip: 10.1.1.24) and a Virtual Machine Port Group.

We have a very flat network 10.1.0.0/16.

From what I can see in the configuration for the Promise iSCSI target, it looks like my ESX server is using the .24 address to access the disks.

How can I confirm which adapter is really doing the disk i/o? Also, how do I force ESX to send disk i/o through a particular NIC?

Thanks

Mayur

[Jae_Ellers]

esxtop

hit n for network

[rock_larson]

I have a similar question here. If we create a separate switch and configure SC port and VMKernal Port on this switch, does it imply that software ISCSI traffic should go through this switch only?

I didn't find any option to specifiy the NIC while configuring Software ISCSI.

[christianZ]

1. for one ip network you can configure only one vmkernel port

2. for iscsi (software) you need the console port on the same vswitch

The io goes over the vmkernel port but for the initial recovering the console port is needed too - therefore both should be included in access list on your target (e.g. Equallogic).

The software initiator = vmhba40 runs over vmkernel port that you configured for iscsi.

This port exists on the vswitch where one or more nics are bound.

Hope that's clear.

[happyhammer]

i think it would also be recommended to keep the storage network on seperate subnet/vlan away from normal data network. especially as you have such a large broadcast domain /16

[rock_larson]

Thanks for all responses, its clear now.

[rock_larson]

Hi,

While configuring networking for software iscsi, we need to specify the gateway device to be used and we can give either vswif0 ( SC1) or vswif2( SC2) or set it to Auto. While we set it to 'Auto' and access storage using software iscsi, i guess its through vswif0 instead of vswif1 which is dedicated for software iscsi. Any thoughts here ?

Thanks