Unable to create datastore with ESXi 5

MarkLFT · Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:48 pm

I have created an iSCSI target using the instructions on this site, I created a iSCSI initiator on my ESXi 5 host, I added the VMKernal adaptor, I configures the iSCSI Initiator, and can see the device, and the targets. But when I try to add a datastore, the device location table is empty.

I have doubled checked all the settings based on the information on this site, and have spent the last three hours trying all the options and variations I can think of. I have reset the host serveral times, but that does not seem to make any difference.

Please help and tell me where to look to find the solution to this.

Thanks

Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:58 pm

Hi Mark,
Can you tell me which device have you created in StarWind?
99.999% of cases this error comes out if you try to export your C drive using the disk bridge feature (hard disk - > physical)
If it's not - we're should probably start looking in VMware's corner.

MarkLFT · Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:08 pm

I little while ago I downloaded the demo version of Starwind Enterprise, I have created a HA iSCSI Target, with the disks being based on img files on both servers, i.e. one img file on each server.

Constantin (staff) · Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:04 am

Are StarWind and VMkernel running in one subnet? Since vSphere 5 VMkernel doesn`t support routing for storage traffic.

MarkLFT · Tue Oct 11, 2011 8:07 am

The starwind iscsi and the VMKernal are on 192.168.64.x, 255.255.255.0 and all other traffic is on 192.168.32.x, 255.255.255.0.

Constantin (staff) · Tue Oct 11, 2011 9:14 am

Hm. Pretty strange. Need to see it live. Send me an email to constantin dot videnski @ starwind software dot com

MarkLFT · Tue Oct 11, 2011 11:37 am

Thanks for helping me trying to solve this problem, but I do find it dissapointing that I need to upgrade my server software to be able to use Starwind, as I mentioned, I thought the point was to use sligthly older hardware and windows as an iSCSI target. Seems we must have the latest versions to work.

Have to say I am very disappointed.

Constantin (staff) · Tue Oct 11, 2011 11:56 am

As I told you during the session Windows Server 2003 (R2?) is not latest OS, moreover it`s not support in general support by Microsoft. Here is link to MS KB about it: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean36. As result currently we have dropped support of Windows Server 2003 (R2). Maybe we`ll revert back support of WS2k3 in next version but this is not guaranteed. Anyway non-HA configurations are fully supported with this OS.