IP connectivity lost timeout question...

[Bill.French]

I'm using starport on w2k3 to connect via iSCSI to another server running starwind. If IP connectivity is lost between the two, there is a significant pause before the disk is reported as "failed" to the OS - is there a way to control the timeout if there's a loss in connectivity? I actually want to make the timeout shorter, although I could see a case for making it longer than the default for different circumstances. I'm honestly not sure if the timeout issue is on the OS or Starport side.

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish, all of this in on a VM in ESX3 :
C: - on EMC FC SAN
O: - mirrored dynamic disk, mirroring a virtual disk residing on the EMC FC SAN and the Starport iSCSI device.

It actually all works and performs really well for my scenario here in all my testing, I just wish a loss in connectivity would fail the mirror faster than it does. Presently the server kind of hangs for 30 secs or so (feels like an eternity) before failing the mirror and continuing on its merry way with the remaining good disk (that's on the FC SAN).

Anyway, thank you -- I have really enjoyed working with these products, it is rare these sorts of things are "pleasurable" to work with.

[Val (staff)]

I'm using starport on w2k3 to connect via iSCSI to another server running starwind. If IP connectivity is lost between the two, there is a significant pause before the disk is reported as "failed" to the OS - is there a way to control the timeout if there's a loss in connectivity? I actually want to make the timeout shorter, although I could see a case for making it longer than the default for different circumstances. I'm honestly not sure if the timeout issue is on the OS or Starport side.

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish, all of this in on a VM in ESX3 :
C: - on EMC FC SAN
O: - mirrored dynamic disk, mirroring a virtual disk residing on the EMC FC SAN and the Starport iSCSI device.

It actually all works and performs really well for my scenario here in all my testing, I just wish a loss in connectivity would fail the mirror faster than it does. Presently the server kind of hangs for 30 secs or so (feels like an eternity) before failing the mirror and continuing on its merry way with the remaining good disk (that's on the FC SAN).

Anyway, thank you -- I have really enjoyed working with these products, it is rare these sorts of things are "pleasurable" to work with.

Hi,

The iSCSI session reconnect timeout can be tuned via the following registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\StarPort\Parameters\iSCSI], ReconnectTimeout = 30 (by default)

But do not set the timeout too short (1-3 seconds) as it may fail ever good connections in some cases.

[Bill.French]

Excellent, thank you. Do you know: does changing the key require a reboot?

Thanks, --Bill

[Val (staff)]

Excellent, thank you. Do you know: does changing the key require a reboot?

Thanks, --Bill

Hi Bill,

Yes, it requeres rebooting the machine if any devices are connected by the StarPort driver.

If the driver is idle, you can safely disable and re-enable it in the Device manager to apply the new settings.