In this video, I will demonstrate attaching a VMware ESXi 6.5 host to a Storage Center array with iSCSI using the software iSCSI initiator. To attach an iSCSI host to a storage center it is recommended to use a Dell customized ISO for VMware. Click on the "Summary" tab, then review the "Image Profile". If you plan on using the iSCSI software initiator, check to see if the server has an iSCSI offload NIC in it.
Click on the "Configure" tab, then "Storage Adapters". Locate iSCSI HBAs. In this case, we have the embedded "QLogic 10 Gig Adapters" in the PowerEdge server. We will need to disable the iSCSI driver. If you don't have hardware iSCSI initiators, you can skip this part. First, enable SSH by clicking on "Security Profile". Scroll down to "Services". Click "Edit", highlight "SSH", and click "Start".
Then, "OK". Connect to your ESXi host using an SSH client such as "PuTTY". Log in as "root". Type "esxcfg-module -d bnx2i". Enter "Maintenance Mode" and reboot. After the reboot, exit "Maintenance Mode". Verify the iSCSI HBA is no longer listed in "Storage Adapters". Click on "Physical adapters" and locate the NICs.
To ensure we correctly identify which NIC we have disabled the ports on the switch, I will enable the port connected to "Fault Domain 1" and then rescan the adapter. We can see "vmnic0" came online at 10 Gig. We then repeat from the NIC connected to "Fault Domain 2". Click on "VMKernel adapters", then the "Add" icon. Click "Next".
Select new "New standard switch" and then "Next". Click the "plus" icon. Locate the "vmnic" for "Fault Domain 1", highlight it, and click "OK". Click "Next". Update the "Network label" and click "Next". Select "Use static IPv4 settings".
Enter the settings and click "Next". Be sure the IP addresses match the subnet for "Fault Domain 1". Click "Finish". Repeat for the other iSCSI adapter for "Fault Domain 2". Click on "Storage Adapters". Click on the "plus" icon. Select "Software iSCSI adapter". Click "OK".
Scroll down to the "iSCSI Software Adapter", highlight the "vmhba", then click on "Targets". Highlight "Dynamic Discovery" and click "Add". Enter the iSCSI Target IP address for "Fault Domain 1", and then "OK". Repeat for "Fault Domain 2". Launch the "Dell Storage Manager Client". Log in to the Storage Center that the ESX host will be connecting to. On the "Storage" tab, right-click the servers and choose "Create Server from VMware vSphere or VCenter".
Review the prerequisites and click "Next". Provide the credentials for the ESX host that will be connecting to the Storage Center and click "Next". Both fault domains should be reachable. If not, troubleshoot before continuing. Click "Next" to continue. You should receive the "Host Setup Successful" screen.
You can use the "Copy to clipboard" feature to save the "Best Practices". Click on "Launch wizard to create volume for this host", then click "Finish". Update the volume "Name" and click "Next". Update the "Capacity" and click "Next". Make any modifications necessary for the storage options, and click "Next". Adjust the "Snapshot Profiles" for the volume, and click "Next". Click "Next" to map the volume to the server. Click "Finish".
To view mappings, click on "Mappings". If you click on "Servers", in this server, you can see the connections as well. To use the newly created volume, open the "vSphere Web Client" and click on "Datastores".
Click on the "plus" icon, choose "VMFS", and click "Next". Provide a name and select the "COMPELNT" iSCSI disk. Select the version, and click "Next". Make any adjustments and click "Next". Click "Finish".
