Newbiw Starwind 4 questions

[fobe]

Hi All,

I just installed in a "test environment" a Windows 2003 Std. server with Starwind and an ESXi server. The following things didn't worked out fine but maybe it's not configured well.
1) I made an image-file as iSCSI-device and mounted it to allow anonymous access. When the W2k3 server with StarWind is rebooted the file is not mounted automatically. Is this normal? or is there a script that it will be mounted rightaway?
2) Also when the W2k3 server is rebooted and I connect again the connection the image file is not "active". The only way to accomplish this is the remove the file from the connection and at it manually again. Is this also normal?
3) When the the W2k3 server is rebooted and the ESXi server stays up, the iSCSI-connection is lost and when the W2k3 is running (manually) activated, ESXi can't reconnect to the W2k3 server and sees it as a "new" storage and will format it. So all data in the Starwind image is lost. Is there a way to resolve this?

Thanks in advance.

[Robert (staff)]

Hello fobe,

This is fixed in version 4.0 of Starwind Server. Please download the latest version from http://www.starwindsoftware.com/download-and-evaluate

Please let me know about the results.

Thanks
Rob

[fobe]

Thanks for the fast reply! I got the latest version of StarWind. But as I wrote before I think I'm missing something... I tested on W2003 & Windows XP. When I reboot the image-file is not automatically loaded, I think "something" should triggering the connection. I describe how I configured it:
1) installed the program
2) made a connection to localhost:3260
3) created an image-file and mounted it, so far so good.
4) I changed on localhost:3260 Preferences & Edit configuration to anonymous, disconnect and connect, this works
5) restarted the StarWind servcices. Again I have to change it to anonymous and repeat step 4 & 5, now it works fine
6) reboot the PC
7) login into the PC and localhost:3260 is grayed out, I have to manually connect the localhost:3260

I want (when there's a power outage) the PC is started again when the power is back on, and the StarWind is loading the file (without logging in and manually connect the localhost:3260 again).
Hopefully I wrote it clearly enough. Is there a regisrtykey or an extra command so the localhost:3260 is automatically connected and mount the image file....

[Robert (staff)]

fobe,

What you are doing is just configuring the target. You will also need to configure the Initiator side (ESX)

Briefly:

- Click on the Configuration tab and click Storage adapters;
- Select iSCSI software adaptor;
- Click Properties;
- Click Configure button;
- Click Enabled checkbox;
- In a new window select "Dynamic discovery" tab and input the address of your StarWind server;
- Click Close;

Now once ESX is rebooted, it should auto-mount the iSCSI Target.

Additional information can be found at http://www.starwindsoftware.com/images/ ... nd_ESX.pdf

Hope that helps,

Thanks,
Rob

[fobe]

I know how to configure the ESXi. But I mean that when I reboot de PC with StarWind and I log in again, the localhost:3260 is not automatically connected. I have to do this manually.
I want to setup when the PC (with StarWind) is accidentally shutdown for some reason and is powered on, the localhost:3260 is going automatically connected and and the image-file is mounted.

Do you know what I try to accomplish?

[Robert (staff)]

Hello,

You would need do the same thing as with ESXi on the localhost machine, but use iSCSI Initiator (http://www.starwindsoftware.com/starpor ... al-edition) fir this, not the target itself. Target will not restore the connection to the target itself while the Initiator will.

Thanks,
Rob

[fobe]

I think you understand me wrong.... I have a XP PC where StarWind iSCSI is installed. I made an image-file that will be the target for the ESXi server.
When I reboot the the XP PC, StarWind doesn't automatically connect or make active localhost:3260 with the attached image file. I have to manually make the connection localhost:3260 active

[Robert (staff)]

fobe,

In order to make the images on the XP available after reboot for ESXi, you would need to make sure that Starwind iSCSI Service is started automatically on XP start-up. (Start - Run - services.msc)

The availablity of the images for the ESXi does not depend on the connection to localhost in StarWind Management console on XP machine. They can be disconnected for the management console and XP machine, but at the same time be available and auto-mount to ESXi on reboot.

Thanks,
Rob

[fobe]

I made a misconfiguration sorry for the inconvenience It works now. I now registered it to the Free Edition. Unfortunately it supports only 2 GB files/disks, this is a little bit low for me; I use ESXi, VM's with 2 GB storage isn't very useful... Normally VM's are about 8 GB each. Also I read on the forum the previous versions where allowed to use 1 TB....

[Robert (staff)]

Fobe,

Please refer to this thread for obtaining version 3.5:

http://www.starwindsoftware.com/forums/ ... f=5&t=1784

Thanks,
Rob