Configure HP MSA 1050 to connect to VMWare Host

Attachments do not work when you first post the question but if you edit it you can re-attach it OK.

Once you have named the MSA, made LUNs and presented them to the hosts it will automatically generate the iSCSI IQN (id).

Have you created a Storage Network on the Host ?

added VMKernel Portgroups ?

Connected it to the MSA 1050 ?

and then you need to create LUNs ?

Here is the image of the MSA Home Screen.

@Andrew, no to creating a Storage Network on host, addomg VMKernel Portgroup, only connected to the MSA via the webgui and no to creating hte LUNs.

This is all new to me so apologies for lack of understanding.

Thanks for replying - hopefully we can get this up and running.

First connect the iSCSI network, then under hosts you can see your servers IQN so you can give them friendly names and put them in a host group. After that create a test volume using the volume page, then use mapping page you map the volume to the host group. How many hosts and are you using switches?

@ andyalder - sorry but how to a first connect teh iSCSI network - where to do I do that?

Im looking to spin up just one host for now, I have one network switch.

If I want to spin up more hosts on the MSA I guess I would need to connect the MSA directly to the HP Server but would need a fibre channel card? The server has two x 4 port 1gb Network cards - can these be used at all - Im currently have some spare capacity on these cards since not all ports are used?

It's iSCSI - SCSI over TCP/IP so ideally you need two NIC ports, for redundancy use one port from each of your two 4-port NICs. Give them and the MSA's iSCSI ports IP addresses in a completely separate subnet to what's currently in use and connect controller 1 to NIC1 directly and controller 2 to NIC2. Since there are 4 Ethernet ports on each controller you can connect up to 4 hosts without using switches. You have to create VMware switches etc, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6ZOeoD3Ud8

Ok Im going to need to attend site to complete the advice - will do this later today and report back.

@andyadler

ok first image (image_6730.jpg) is of the back of the MSA - 4 connections in total - the fibre channel 1Gb convertors were plugged directly into the server on port 4 of one network card and port 4 of the 2nd network card.

2nd image (mage_6731) is of the server - you can see ive removed the network cables from port 4 on both cards since when I plugged them in, staff lost connectivity to the VM guests so I guess I need do configure those ports first on the VM Host?

So I need to first configure the network ports in the VM console, then connect to the MSA via the other network connections to configure the iSCSI?

thanks
SycamoreIT

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It's not FC it's iSCSI. The ports on the host(s) have to be given IP addresses and VMkernel needs binding to it so CHAP works. https://www.qnap.com/en/how-to/tutorial/article/set-up-a-vmware-esxi-datastore-via-iscsi-in-qnap-enterprise-storage/ is a fairly good guide to setting up iSCSI although they use a switch which isn't needed. Best to have a different subnet for each cable since it's acting as a two port switch.

Im trying to access the MSA but currently cannot connect despite the two network controllers are connected to my LAN - is there a utlitiy I can use which can detect the MSA/IP address so I can connect and sort the iSCSI?

Default IP addresses of the management ports are 10.0.0.2 and 10.0.0.3.

Sorry this has been so long but I have been kept away from the offic due to covid. Im now back onsite and would like to continue this process - are you still available to support?

so the grey leads with the adapters should really go to the back of the ESX host right? The blue leads are just management connection which allow me to connect to the MSA using a browser - so first thing would be is to get the grey cables plugged into the esxi host.

My local lan is 192.168.254.x
so I should use 10.0.0.1 for the msa grey cable and 10.0.0.2 for the esxi interface card for the opposite end of the grey patch cable.
Likewise the 2nd grey cable can be plugged into the 2nd bank of four network slots and use 10.0.1.1 for the msa end and 10.0.1.2 for the esxi end?

Yes, that should work fine.  Use 255.255.255.0 mask.

ok so got behind the server and can see that I only have one 4 Port Network Card in my VMWare Host Server running ESX7. The MSA 1Gb Ports per top/bottom and the black network cables are just for the management console via a browser. Will it make a difference if I drop one of the red patches down to the second controller below?

If this is ok and I now have it plugged directly into my esx server - what is next - I know I need to configure the IP for hte MSA ports on the MSA via that console but how or what do I configure on the ESX server so I can see these storage?

You should have one cable in each controller so that if you pull a controller out you're still connected.
See the first drawing in https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00082132en_us&docLocale=en_US#N1002C

Ok, so Ive moved the 2nd port to the 2nd controller and Ive configured the ip on each as above. I now need to work out how to do the same on the esx interface. I need to make their IP the same as the gateways above?

A2 is unused, those settings should be for B1. The controllers are A and B and you are using the port 1s. The gateway is unused, not sure why they make you enter it.

Ok so Ive swapped that around - will it matter if I leave the gateway in or should that be removed?

Whats the next step - do I have to do any further in MSA or is it time to get into the ESX config?

Don't think gateway can be blank, shouldn't matter. You now have to give IP addresses to ESXi and check you can vmkping both ports. VMkernel has to be added as it does the CHAP authentication.

Once VMware ports set up go back to MSA and make your LUNs and map them to VMware under host mapping.