ESXi3.5U4: Not able to add iSCSI networking

[JLaay]

Hi all,

ESXi 3.5u4 host server
W2K3SP2 standard server with Starwind free server

1).
Tried to add networking, iSCSI, with the VI client as described in the doc: StarWind iSCSI SAN: Using StarWind with VMware ESX Server
This was rejected because there was already a VMkernel group in the same subnet. See attachment.

2).
Added network, iSCSI, as described in another subnet. This worked fine. (also changed the ip address of the W2K3 server with Starwind)
However the VI client session popped up a message that 'the' ip-address had changed and that I should reboot the host. Which I did.
The result was a dead ESXi host. It stops the startup config just after the message that the iSCSI_mod has succesfully loaded

Anybody an idea to resolve both issues ?!?!

Thanx Jaap

[JLaay]

Hi All,

Everything back up and running again. Pfff...

The ESXi server 'hang' (took a very long time doing the iSCSI look up) because it couldn't find the W2K3 server (read Starwind server) with the changed IP-address. ( Starwind management interface > server > configuration tab > see network entries )
Problem was that Starwind does NOT automatically updates its network address when the ip-address of the server changes!
So I had to reboot the server. No other option available. Stopping/starting Starwind service ????

Suggestion would be a periodically (in seconds) check by Starwind software to see if ip-address of server has changed ????

Rebooted the ESXi server again. Startup took about 2 minutes.
Storage adapters appeared in VI client
Did a check > rescan of storage adapters > ok 15 sec same result

Remains the question of not being able to add networking > vmkernel in the same subnet.

Greetz Jaap

[JLaay]

Hi all,

Got the answer from VMware communities to following question:

"1).
Tried to add networking, iSCSI, with the VI client as described in the doc: StarWind iSCSI SAN: Using StarWind with VMware ESX Server
This was rejected because there was already a VMkernel group in the same subnet. See attachment."

This is not possible in ESXiv3.5.
It is possible in ESX4

Jaap

[Robert (staff)]

What I could suggest you is to install StarWind on a separate Physical PC (or at least a virtual on another box) with a static IP address. Otherwise you will always get a mess of IP's of your virtual machines and you will be "looking for" StarWind server's IP address again and again.

Thanks.

[JLaay]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for your answer.

I have Starwind installed on a physical pc with static IP. Never DHCP on a server, brrr..
That was not the problem concerning the issue of adding a vmkernel network
That you have to do in the ESX box.
Had to add vmkernel networking in a diffrent subnet. because in ESXi3.5 it is not possible to do that.

I have installed verzion ESXi4.0 now, and tried adding vmkernel networking in the same subnet.
Now it is possible.

From network point of view however I would prefer to have ESX <> storage traffic on a different subnet for performance and security reasons. Through seperate switches if possible.

Greetz Jaap

[Robert (staff)]

What you can do from the StarWind point of view is to "bind" it to listen to a specific network interface. What you are saying totally makes sence in terms of dedicating a separate network and storage segment to iSCSI. Moreover, Vmware recommend doing that for iSCSI SANs.

To "bind" your StarWind to a specific network interface you would need to edit the configuration file of your StarWind Server.

Thanks.