Question

Connecting VMWare ESX 3.5 to Openfiler iSCSI storage with redundant NICs

Asked by: Maxwellb

Hi Experts,

I'm trying to configure VMWare ESX 3.5 to connect to Openfiler iSCSI storage with redundant NICs on both machines. I'm running the SAN through a Gigabit switch, without a router. Being quite new to the virtualization world, I'm in a bit over my head - I've seen the trainsignal videos and read petri.co.il's articles, yet something is still wrong. I believe the complication comes in with the additional vswitch and some specific settings in openfiler. In order to segregate my SAN traffic and to provide redundant NICs, I must use a new vswitch, yet iSCSI requires a service console port on the vswitch it operates on. I think I did this, (see screenshot) but I haven't any success to date. i was able to get as far as "rescanning" for targets in the process of setting up iSCSI, but the scan didn't return any. I'm not using CHAP authentication, but rather limiting - I hope correctly (see screenshot) - the address range of the initiators using openfiler. Also, I'm not sure of the networking configuration on openfiler, especially the ".0" on the end of "10.1.1.0".

The IP address configuration is as follows, with everything on netmask 255.255.255.0:

Primary LAN (not SAN)
Router: 10.0.0.1
ESX Server: 10.0.0.3
Openfiler: 10.0.0.7

SAN:
Openfiler: 10.1.1.1
ESX Server: 10.1.1.2
Service Console: 10.1.1.3

Pllease let me know if there is any more information I can provide to make this easier to solve.

Many thanks in advance,
Max

  • vmware-network.png
    • 24 KB

    A screenshot showing network configuration on the VMWare ESX 3.5 server - specifically of interest is the second Vswitch with "teamed" network adapters, the service console, and VMKernel

    A screenshot showing network configuration on the VMWare ESX 3.5 server - specifically of interest is the second Vswitch with "teamed" network adapters, the service console, and VMKernel
  • of-network.png
    • 30 KB

    A screenshot portraying the openfiler network configuration, again I am unsure about the ".0" on the end of the IP address...

    A screenshot portraying the openfiler network configuration, again I am unsure about the ".0" on the end of the IP address...
  • of-ipacl.png
    • 42 KB

    A screenshot depicting the openfiler IP based Access control list for iSCSI. Specifically of interest is the ".0" on the end of the IP address - is this correct?

    A screenshot depicting the openfiler IP based Access control list for iSCSI. Specifically of interest is the ".0" on the end of the IP address - is this correct?

This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.

Subscribe now for full access to Experts Exchange and get

Instant Access to this Solution

  • Plus...
  • 30 Day FREE access, no risk, no obligation
  • Collaborate with the world's top tech experts
  • Unlimited access to our exclusive solution database
  • Never be left without tech help again

Subscribe Now

Asked On
2008-08-23 at 21:52:30ID23673279
Tags

VMWare

,

ESX

,

3.5

,

Standard with Virtual Center

Topics

VMware

,

Storage Technology

,

Virtualization

Participating Experts
3
Points
500
Comments
11

Trusted by hundreds of thousands everyday for fast, accurate and reliable tech support.

  • "The time we save is the biggest benefit of Experts Exchange to Warner Bros. What could take multiple guys 2 hours or more each to find is accessed in around 15 minutes on Experts Exchange." Mike Kapnisakis, Warner Bros.
  • "Our team likes having a resource that is more secure than just using Google and most experts using this service really know their stuff. It's nice to look here first versus using Google." Dayna Sellner, Lockheed Martin
  • "Anytime that I've been stumped with a problem, 9 out of 10 times Experts Exchange has either the accepted solution or an open discussion of the potential solution to the problem." Kenny Red, eBay Inc.

See what Experts Exchange can do for you.

Got a question?

We've got the answer.

Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Need individual assistance?

Our experts are ready to help.

If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Want to learn from the best?

Read articles from industry experts.

Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.

Screenshot of an Article

Working on a long term project?

Store your work and research.

Save solutions to your questions, answers you’ve discovered through searching plus helpful articles in your personal knowledgebase for easy future access.

Screenshot of Experts Exchange Knowledgebase

Access the answers to your technology questions today.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

What Makes Experts Exchange Unique?

Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Trusted by the world's most respected brands.

image of each brand's logo

Faithfully serving IT professionals since 1996.

Experts Exchange Logo

Try it out and discover for yourself.

Subscribe Now

30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.

Related Solutions

  1. Vmware ESX
    What other services can you run with Vmware ESX Server? I need the machine to be an FTP and SAMBA server as well in a small business environment.
  2. Can VMware ESX Server run with Micorosot iSCSI target?
    I have an AIO600 with Microsoft Windows storage server R2 running Microsoft's iSCSI target software. Is ESX compatible and will I be able to hook a .vhd up to ESX using this?
  3. no snapshot with VMware ESX 3.5 connected to iSCSI
    I've a VMware ESX server (version 3.5.0, 123630) connected with an external iSCSI storage, the Datastore of my virtual machines are on the iSCSI storage. When i try ti make a snapshot of a VM, apparentely this is done, but when I try to revert or change snapshot image point, ...
  4. attach and iSCSI network storage device to VMware ESX S…
    Hopeing someone can help me conigure ESX server 3.5 to attach to an iSCSI network storage device. while I am familiar with vmware I have never used network storage with it before and am struggling a little with the set up. I can't seem to get ESX server to see my storage. I a...
  5. Adding iSCSI LUNs to VMware ESX 3.5
    Hi, I have a couple of VMware ESX server's and a Dell iSCSI Equallogic. I can add a LUN to several server's. The problem is that each time I add a LUN to a server ESX formats it. and all data is lost. Also, when a serevr looses connection to a LUN all other servers will als...
  6. VMware ESX
    Hello I try to install my ESX home lab.I read I need 3 computers for ESX functions. 1xDomain Controller( DNS server) 1xESX 4.0 server 1xvCenter server Is that possible establishing this Home server senario with only 2 machines(WITHOUT VMWARE WORKSTATION INSTALL.) Because 2 of...

Free Tech Articles

  1. WARNING: 5 Reasons why you should NEVER fix a computer for free.
    It is in our nature to love the puzzle. We are obsessed. The lot of us. We love puzzles. We love the challenge. We thrive on finding the answer. We hate disarray. It bothers us deep in our soul. W...
  2. SCCM OSD Basic troubleshooting
    SCCM 2007 OSD is a fantastic way to deploy operating systems, however, like most things SCCM issues can sometimes be difficult to resolve due to the sheer volume of logs to sift through and the dispe...
  3. Migrate Small Business Server 2003 to Exchange 2010 and Windows 2008 R2
    This guide is intended to provide step by step instructions on how to migrate from Small Business Server 2003 to Windows 2008 R2 with Exchange 2010. For this migration to work you will need the fo...
  4. Create a Win7 Gadget
    This article shows you how to create a simple "Gadget" -- a sort of mini-application supported by Windows 7 and Vista. Gadgets can be dropped anywhere on the desktop to provide instant information, ...
  5. Outlook continually prompting for username and password
    There have been a lot of questions recently regarding Outlook prompting for a username and password whilst using Exchange 2007. There are a few reasons why this would happen and I will try to cover t...
  6. Backup Exchange 2010 Information Store using Windows Backup
    There seems to be quite a lot of confusion around the ability to backup Exchange 2010 using the built in Windows Backup feature. This stems from the omission of this feature prior to Exchange 2007 s...

Cloud Class Webinars

  1. Avoiding Bugs in Microsoft Access
    Alison Balter takes and in-depth look at avoiding bugs in Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the immediate window to debug your applications, invoking the debugger, using breakpoints to troubleshoot, stepping through code, setting the next statement to execute, ...
  2. Top 10 Best New Features in Visio 2010
    Scott Helmers gives live demonstrations of the top 10 new features in Visio 2010. This webinar will teach you how to create compelling diagrams by adding shapes to the page with a single click, linking the shapes in a diagram to data in Excel (or SQL Server, or SharePoint), ...
  3. IT Consultant Business Secrets Revealed
    Michael Munger, Experts Exchange tech pro and IT consultant, pulls back the curtain on his very successful businesses and answers question on every IT consultant and business owner should know about. He shares secrets on what he did to solve the 5 most common problems in IT, ...
  4. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
    Quest CTO, Mike Billon, gives an overview of the steps involved in building a dunamic disaster recovery plan. Through case studies and an examination of software/hardware tooles for monitoring and testing, you'll gain a better understandin of where you are, where you want ...
  5. Organize Your Visio Diagrams with Containers and Lists
    Scott Helmers uses cross functional flowcharts, wireframe diagrams, data graphic legends and seating charts to teach you: how to ustilize all three new structured diagram components in Visio 2010, the best practices for organizeing shapes in previous version of Visio, how to organize ...
  6. How to Us Objects, Properties, Events and Methods in Microsoft Access
    Alison Dalter gives an in-depbth look at objects, properties, events and methods in Microsoft Access. In this webinar you will learn about using the object browser, referring to objects, working with properties and methods, working with object variables, understanding the ...

Join the Community

Give a Little. Get a Lot.

Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.

Join the Community

Answers

 

by: paulsolovPosted on 2008-08-23 at 22:37:54ID: 22299632

I haven't used Openfiler but I have recommneded it before and the users were succesfull in using it.  The vswitch info looks ok.  Since you're using iscsi initiator what is the ip address you'll be using for the SAN LUN? Normally an ACL on a ISCSI is strictly the IP address of the host you'll be connecting to it.

You can test the iscsi LUN using any Microsoft server as a baseline using the MS ISCSI initiator as a simple test.  If you can connect using MS you shouldn't have an issue with vmware.

Have you enabled ISCSI on the ESX firewall?  You should be able to use dynamic discovery of the ip address you've setup on the Openfiler to discover it.  On vswitch1 did you setup any default gateways for the vmkernel and/or console?  

 

by: MaxwellbPosted on 2008-08-23 at 22:40:27ID: 22299639

An interesting additional piece of information: I logged into the VMware ESX Server (10.0.0.3) via putty and tried to ping 10.1.1.1 (the openfiler SAN adapters) and it returned with the message "Destination Host Unreachable" (although interesting to note that it mentioned "From 10.1.1.3 - see screenshot). I'm not sure if this a network configuration totally separate from the issue at hand, but I thought I would add it.

  • ping.png
    • 14 KB

    A failed attempt to ping the openfiler SAN server from the VMware ESX server

    A failed attempt to ping the openfiler SAN server from the VMware ESX server
 

by: MaxwellbPosted on 2008-08-23 at 22:42:29ID: 22299643

Sorry paulsolov, I didn't see you post before posting the above update. I'll look into your suggestions.

-Max

 

by: paulsolovPosted on 2008-08-23 at 22:48:55ID: 22299657

No problem. If you can't reach the console that is an issue.  If you get stuck I'll check one of my installs, I don't have my notes in front of me but I can get access to the configs if I need to.

 

by: MaxwellbPosted on 2008-08-23 at 23:06:57ID: 22299708

Just a note: I can still configure openfiler through 10.0.0.7 of course, the 10.1.1.1 address is the bonded SAN adapters

 

by: paulsolovPosted on 2008-08-23 at 23:15:21ID: 22299732

The console on vswitch1 still needs to talk to the console on vswitch0. I'll see if I can take a look into  one of my installs.

 

by: paulsolovPosted on 2008-08-23 at 23:24:49ID: 22299759

The way I have one of my setups is on Vswitch1
default gateway of the conole on vswitch1 is the default gateway of the LAN on vswitch0
There is no default gatway on the VMKernal on vswtich1

 

by: S00007359Posted on 2008-08-25 at 05:23:30ID: 22304821

1) Log onto your openfilers console, and setup the check the default gateway for the bond0 and et0 nics.

2) Configure the Service Console and Vmkernel with the correct default gateway. Restart the network management services, and see if you are able to ping the openfiler etc

Thanks

 

by: HeinoSkovPosted on 2008-08-25 at 10:30:15ID: 22307369

use vmkping to test vmkernel connections. It uses the vmkernel to ping from instead of service console.

 

by: MaxwellbPosted on 2008-08-25 at 14:50:29ID: 22309550

Hi,

I just noticed this when reviewing the network configuration page: although the independent NICs are showing that a link is present, the "bond0" isn't (see screenshot).

 

by: MaxwellbPosted on 2008-08-25 at 22:28:35ID: 22311798

Well, I got it to work. For whatever reason, rebooting the VMWare ESX server solved the problem. I got suspicious of a software problem when VMWare refused to remove the dynamic discovery entry of the openfiler serer in the iSCSI software initiator properties. A reboot solved the problem. Nonetheless,I am certain the information here aided me to get to the point where I was able to complete the last step to solving the problem. Because of this, I will distribute the points accordingly.

Thank you for your assistance!
-Max

20120131-EE-VQP-002

3 Ways to Join

30-Day Free Trial

The Experts

98% positive feedback on 31,087 answers since March 2000. angeliii is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for his work with MS SQL Server & Develoment.

He has also proven his knowledge of Visual Basic Programming, PHP Scripting and Oracle Databases.

The Experts

97% positive feedback on 10,752 answers since July 2000. lrmoore has more than 18 years experience in the networking industry.

The six-time Mircosoft MVPs specialties include firewalls, virtual private networking, and network management.

Testimonials

"...and excellent source for support... Kind of like having your very own IT dept." Electriciansnet

Testimonials

"I was apprehensive at signing up at first. However... it has already made my life as an IT administrator much easier." JaCrews

Testimonials

"WOW! You guys have great, active, and knowledgeable people on here." moore50

Business Clients

Business Clients

In the Press

"If you’ve got a question... Experts Exchange can supply an answer.”

In the Press

"...an invaluable aid for both IT professionals and those who require tech support."

In the Press

"where IT professionals provide quick answers on just about any topic"

Business Account Plans

Loading Advertisement...