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Ivan Mckenzie · Guest

Hi everyone, here are a few questions regarding iscsi.

1) Does Microsoft have any iscsi target software?
2)If number 1 is no, which is the best iscsi target software? Wintarget,
Starwind or PyX iSCSI Software.

Thanks,

Ivan

Eric Bursley [MVP] · Guest

Microsoft offers an iSCSI initator for Windows 2000 / 2003.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=12cb3c1a-15d6-4585-b385-befd1319f825&displaylang=en

I would recommend using the Microsoft iSCSI initator. Its pretty simple to
configure and works well. I have used it for attaching the Dell EMC AX100i
iSCSI solution using Windows 2003.

Eric Bursley
eric at bursley dot net
Microsoft MVP
RHCE, MCSE, BCFP, EEIE-CS, ESCE-CS
GPG Signature:
Key fingerprint = CEAE CF3A 3876 7ECE 9DA7 946F DA9F DDCA C392 6DCB

"Ivan Mckenzie" <imck@inerza.com> wrote in message
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Ivan Mckenzie · Guest

Hi Eric, I did know that Microsoft had a initiator, but a iSCSI initiator
software is not the same thing as a iSCSI target software. An iSCSI target
software is incharge of creating LUNs on the storage server so a client with
a initiator can connect to.

Thanks a lot,

Ivan

"Eric Bursley [MVP]" <ebursley at swbell dot net> wrote in message
news:uVR2hLuyFHA.464@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...

Eric Bursley [MVP] · Guest

I'm familar with iSCSI. What is your main goal behind allowing Windows to
be an iSCSI target?
Is it that you just want to be able to assign block level storage to the IP
network for clients to access? iSCSI has a lot of over head, and
typically it is recommended to have a dedicated gigabit network.

Eric Bursley
eric at bursley dot net
Microsoft MVP
RHCE, MCSE, BCFP, EEIE-CS, ESCE-CS
GPG Signature:
Key fingerprint = CEAE CF3A 3876 7ECE 9DA7 946F DA9F DDCA C392 6DCB

"Ivan Mckenzie" <imck@inerza.com> wrote in message
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Valeriy Glushkov · Guest

iSCSI can be used for many purposes and not only for dedicated SAN
environments over 1GbE.

One way is using iSCSI for sharing CD/DVD burners or tape drives between
Windows or Linux machines.
For example, a CD/DVD burning software Alcohol 120% uses its iSCSI engine to
share local burners to remote hosts.

There are inexpensive iSCSI target software (like RDS StarWind) that include
many features interesting ever for SOHO or home users.
--
Best regards,
Valeriy Glushkov

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Jan Hugo Prins · Guest

On Thu, 06 Oct 2005 21:00:21 -0500, Eric Bursley [MVP] wrote:

Eric Bursley [MVP] · Guest

A full version Powerpath comes with the AX100i. You will need Powerpath to
implement failover support between SPA and SPB of the AX100i. Powerpath
will not multipath in the iSCSI environment.

Eric Bursley
eric at bursley dot net
Microsoft MVP
RHCE, MCSE, BCFP, EEIE-CS, ESCE-CS
GPG Signature:
Key fingerprint = CEAE CF3A 3876 7ECE 9DA7 946F DA9F DDCA C392 6DCB

"Jan Hugo Prins" <jhp@jhprins.org> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.10.10.12.15.58.704849@jhprins.org...

Eric Bursley [MVP] · Guest

That's cool. I never thought of using iSCSI that way. For what you are
using iSCSI targeting for, I have no advise as I haven't used iSCSI in that
type of environment before, but it sounds interesting.

Eric Bursley
eric at bursley dot net
Microsoft MVP
RHCE, MCSE, BCFP, EEIE-CS, ESCE-CS
GPG Signature:
Key fingerprint = CEAE CF3A 3876 7ECE 9DA7 946F DA9F DDCA C392 6DCB

"Valeriy Glushkov" <gvvua@NOSPAMua.fm> wrote in message
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Jan Hugo Prins · Guest

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:34:08 -0500, Eric Bursley [MVP] wrote:

Valeriy Glushkov · Guest

Eric,

Yes, iSCSI is a very flexible protocol.:)

For more details you could take a look at StarWind's home page:
www.rocketdivision.com/wind.htm
There is 15-days trial version there.
--
Best regards,
Valeriy Glushkov

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Eric Bursley [MVP] · Guest

I believe the AX100i only supports 1 VLAN tag, so you will be limited to
configuring just 1 VLAN, unless you do everything at the switch level. I
personally would configure just 1 VLAN for the server and the AX100i. Do
you plan on implementing CHAP for additional security?
As far as the server, I would try to configure nic teaming for failover.
Although I'm not sure that the Microsoft iSCSI initator will support a
virtual NIC or not.
I haven't seen a real need to implement a load balance team using Gigabit
nics yet. To improve throughput you can also use Jumbo frames or use a TOE
card (TCP Offload Engine). A TOE card would improve overall performance of
your iSCSI solution.

Eric Bursley
eric at bursley dot net
Microsoft MVP
RHCE, MCSE, BCFP, EEIE-CS, ESCE-CS
GPG Signature:
Key fingerprint = CEAE CF3A 3876 7ECE 9DA7 946F DA9F DDCA C392 6DCB

"Jan Hugo Prins" <jhp@jhprins.org> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.10.11.06.39.52.42836@jhprins.org...
[quote]On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:34:08 -0500, Eric Bursley [MVP] wrote:

A full version Powerpath comes with the AX100i. You will need Powerpath
to implement failover support between SPA and SPB of the AX100i.
Powerpath will not multipath in the iSCSI environment.

Ok, that answers one question we have been looking for all day yesterday.
But then a second question. Currently I'm working on the network design of
this building and the iSCSI San environment is a part of that. What I need
to know is the following. I will have 2 Gigabit switches in my
Distribution layer and those switches will be connected to eachother with
a 2 Gb trunk. I want to connect the AX100i with one controller to switch A
and with the other controller to switch B and I want to do the same with
the servers that need to connect to the iSCSI environment.

Should I create 2 seperate VLAN's for both controllers or can they be
together in 1 VLAN. And what is smart to do. I was thinking about creating
a 192.168.1.0/24 VLAN on four ports of switch A and a 192.168.2.0/24 VLAN
on four ports of switch B. Then give the AX100i a address of 192.168.1.1
and 192.168.2.1 and connect them to their respective VLAN's. I would also
give every server that has to connect 2 addresses.

I could also create 1 VLAN 192.168.1.0/24 and make that available throught
the trunk on both switches and give the interfaces of the AX100i addresses
192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2 and give servers on both interfaces that
connect to the AX100i addresses in this VLAN. But this way a server would
have 2 interfaces in 1 VLAN and I can imagine that that might give some
problems with respect to routing etc.

Thanks,
Jan Hugo Prins
[/quote]

Jeff Goldner [MS] · Guest

First, AX100i has a version of PowerPath called 1.1 which is based on MPIO
and is the only logoed solution. If you purchase your AX100 from Dell, you
also get a CD that has PowerPath "Classic", which has a version of
4.something. They do this to support FC with the same CD. This version is
specifically not supported nor logo qualified by Microsoft for use with
iSCSI so stick with 1.1.

Second, unless you are trying to boot from the AX100i, don't waste any money
on an offload card. The AX is just not that fast and the Microsoft SW
initiator is very fast by comparison. A single server can easily max out the
AX. Don't let anyone point to an extra 10% of CPU as a reason to by TOE if
you have 90% (or 60, or whatever) that you weren't using in the first place.
Check your load with your application or with a suitable simulation (like
loadsim or jetstress for Exchange). Jumbo frames are a good idea for most
applications.

Now, as to using multiple NICs, you should not try to combine NIC teaming
with multipathing. It's not necessary and adds to the complexity (the iSCSI
initiator should be fine on top of anything you construct at the network/NIC
layer).

"Eric Bursley [MVP]" <ebursley at swbell dot net> wrote in message
news:%235S6gTszFHA.3856@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
[quote]I believe the AX100i only supports 1 VLAN tag, so you will be limited to
configuring just 1 VLAN, unless you do everything at the switch level. I
personally would configure just 1 VLAN for the server and the AX100i. Do
you plan on implementing CHAP for additional security?
As far as the server, I would try to configure nic teaming for failover.
Although I'm not sure that the Microsoft iSCSI initator will support a
virtual NIC or not.
I haven't seen a real need to implement a load balance team using Gigabit
nics yet. To improve throughput you can also use Jumbo frames or use a
TOE card (TCP Offload Engine). A TOE card would improve overall
performance of your iSCSI solution.

Eric Bursley
eric at bursley dot net
Microsoft MVP
RHCE, MCSE, BCFP, EEIE-CS, ESCE-CS
GPG Signature:
Key fingerprint = CEAE CF3A 3876 7ECE 9DA7 946F DA9F DDCA C392 6DCB

"Jan Hugo Prins" <jhp@jhprins.org> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.10.11.06.39.52.42836@jhprins.org...
On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:34:08 -0500, Eric Bursley [MVP] wrote:

A full version Powerpath comes with the AX100i. You will need Powerpath
to implement failover support between SPA and SPB of the AX100i.
Powerpath will not multipath in the iSCSI environment.

Ok, that answers one question we have been looking for all day yesterday.
But then a second question. Currently I'm working on the network design
of
this building and the iSCSI San environment is a part of that. What I
need
to know is the following. I will have 2 Gigabit switches in my
Distribution layer and those switches will be connected to eachother with
a 2 Gb trunk. I want to connect the AX100i with one controller to switch
A
and with the other controller to switch B and I want to do the same with
the servers that need to connect to the iSCSI environment.

Should I create 2 seperate VLAN's for both controllers or can they be
together in 1 VLAN. And what is smart to do. I was thinking about
creating
a 192.168.1.0/24 VLAN on four ports of switch A and a 192.168.2.0/24 VLAN
on four ports of switch B. Then give the AX100i a address of 192.168.1.1
and 192.168.2.1 and connect them to their respective VLAN's. I would also
give every server that has to connect 2 addresses.

I could also create 1 VLAN 192.168.1.0/24 and make that available
throught
the trunk on both switches and give the interfaces of the AX100i
addresses
192.168.1.1 and 192.168.1.2 and give servers on both interfaces that
connect to the AX100i addresses in this VLAN. But this way a server would
have 2 interfaces in 1 VLAN and I can imagine that that might give some
problems with respect to routing etc.

Thanks,
Jan Hugo Prins

[/quote]

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