Target Error while connecting to Starwind iSCSI target serve

[insaf_mohd]

Hello All,

I recently discovered Starwind software and it's capbilities of being virtual SAN storage. I have a Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 lab where I installed Starwind iSCSi SAN Software 5.4 Ent 30 days trial on a Windows Server 2008 Ent SP1 workgroup node. In the same lab I have another 2 Windows Server 2008 Ent SP1 nodes, domain members, with Microsoft iSCSI initiator service enabled to connect to target Starwind node. I properly logged on and configured a 2GB basic virtual HDD image file device on Starwind server.

I prepared:

1. The Starwind storage Node is in workgroup with IP 172.16.0.1, windows firewall is turned off, Multipath I/O feature installed.
2. Other Node 1 and Node 2 are domain members with IP 10.0.0.7 and 10.0.0.8. Both Nodes have a second virtual LAN installed with IP 172.16.0.2 and 172.16.0.3 to talk to Starwind iSCSi target (both nodes are Windows firewall turned off, Multipath I/O and failover cluster features installed)
3.I am able to successfully ping from Starwind node to other 2 nodes and vice versa. And I am able to telnet Starwind node from other 2 nodes on 172.168.0.1:3261, with a result

StarWind iSCSI SAN Software v5.4.0 (Build 20100708, [SwSAN], Win32)
Copyright (c) StarWind Software 2003-2010. All rights reserved.

with 'RFTM' reply to anything I type..
4. I am able to telnet Starwind node on port 3260 as well, but no reply as above.

Everything looked well, I tried from 1st Node to connect to the Starwind storage via iSCSi initiator> Add target portal IP: 172.16.0.1 : 3261 (it was 3260 default there but I changed to 3261 as 3261 is the default port on Starwind 5.4 app), it waited for some time and I got 'Target Errot' error message!? I tried to connect from Node 2 as well but ended up with same error message.

What is wrong in my configuration? Please help

I am seriously working on this lab.

[Anatoly (staff)]

Could you please download and install the latest version using the link below:

http://www.starwindsoftware.com/download-free-trial

[insaf_mohd]

I downloaded and installed latest version, still it's not working. I am wondering, is it recommended with Win XP pro and Win server 2003 and not with Win 2008 Ent?
I am gonna try installing it on my Win XP pro sp3.

[insaf_mohd]

It's not working guys!! Target Error. I hosted Win XP pro as well as Win SRV 2008 as my Starwind Host servers. None of the other nodes are able to add the target.

Is there any problem in the IP communication between the Nodes and the Starwind target? I can assure I am able to telnet the Starwind node on ports 3261 and 3260, and ping as well.

What the $#%#%#% is wrong?

[anton (staff)]

OK, so boths communication ports are opened. Could you please check what's inside StarWind long when you try to connect to the target? Does StarWind show any activity on connect there?

It's not working guys!! Target Error. I hosted Win XP pro as well as Win SRV 2008 as my Starwind Host servers. None of the other nodes are able to add the target.

Is there any problem in the IP communication between the Nodes and the Starwind target? I can assure I am able to telnet the Starwind node on ports 3261 and 3260, and ping as well.

What the $#%#%#% is wrong?

[insaf_mohd]

I figured out and fixed my issue sitting half day long!

What I did is, from the Starwind app. management console >management interface> server settings it was : 0.0.0.0:3261, I changed it to 0.0.0.0:3260 (to receive incoming connections) Voilaaa.........!!! My both client nodes quickly added the target thru Starwind host IP 172.16.0.1:3260, and it populated the virtual image disks in disk manager.

Problem fixed but, before I found out and edit this setting, the management interface was 0.0.0.0:3261. So for sure, any incoming connections from any IP with port 3261 should be accepted and target should be delivered. I am sure I had tried several times to connect to the Starwind host via 172.16.0.1:3261 but did not work, but when I edited the interface port to 3260 and send request via 172.16.0.1:3260 it quickly imported the targets.

I do wonder Windows 2003/2008 servers accept iSCSI targets explicitly on 3260, regardless both 3261 and 3260 are open on both servers and client sides.

Need to look further into it, but Starwind is a champ of the block all the way!!

Thanks a lot Anton and Anatoly for your involvement

[anton (staff)]

Wow! Good news. Nice to hear you're fine now Please keep us updated about your further progress. Thanks!

I figured out and fixed my issue sitting half day long!

What I did is, from the Starwind app. management console >management interface> server settings it was : 0.0.0.0:3261, I changed it to 0.0.0.0:3260 (to receive incoming connections) Voilaaa.........!!! My both client nodes quickly added the target thru Starwind host IP 172.16.0.1:3260, and it populated the virtual image disks in disk manager.

Problem fixed but, before I found out and edit this setting, the management interface was 0.0.0.0:3261. So for sure, any incoming connections from any IP with port 3261 should be accepted and target should be delivered. I am sure I had tried several times to connect to the Starwind host via 172.16.0.1:3261 but did not work, but when I edited the interface port to 3260 and send request via 172.16.0.1:3260 it quickly imported the targets.

I do wonder Windows 2003/2008 servers accept iSCSI targets explicitly on 3260, regardless both 3261 and 3260 are open on both servers and client sides.

Need to look further into it, but Starwind is a champ of the block all the way!!

Thanks a lot Anton and Anatoly for your involvement

[ridhuan.amri]

Hi guys,

This is an old thread, but seems to match my problem. I tried to follow your resolution here, but it lead to a problem. I changed the Management Interface port from 3261 to 3260, my guest VM cannot connect to the target, and now I cannot manage the Starwind console. Is there any place I can reconfigure the Management interface port so that at least I can manage the Starwind Server back? I tried to add back the server with port 3260 but still failed. Please help me! Thanks!

Regards,
Ridhuan

[ridhuan.amri]

Nevermind, I have edited the StarwindHV.cfg file and everything went back to normal. Thanks!

[Max (staff)]

That's good news! you can also edit these settings from inside the console when selecting the server.

[ridhuan.amri]

Hi Max,

No, I can't edit it at the management console. It shows error "Starwind service not found on <servername>". Then I edited the StarwindHV.cfg file under Connections at this:

<!--Port number for Control connectons (default 3261)-->
<!-- <CtlPort value="3260"/> -->

**Change the CtlPort value to 3261 to make it normal again.

But that is weird, as the posts above mentioned no problem at all when the management port was changed.

Regards,
Ridhuan

[anton (staff)]

You cannot use the same port for management and iSCSI traffic.

Hi Max,

No, I can't edit it at the management console. It shows error "Starwind service not found on <servername>". Then I edited the StarwindHV.cfg file under Connections at this:

<!--Port number for Control connectons (default 3261)-->
<!-- <CtlPort value="3260"/> -->

**Change the CtlPort value to 3261 to make it normal again.

But that is weird, as the posts above mentioned no problem at all when the management port was changed.

Regards,
Ridhuan

[ridhuan.amri]

Yes, that's what I understand. But referring to the posts above, seems like changing the port solved his problem. Is it my understanding is wrong?

Regards,
Ridhuan

[anton (staff)]

Just revert back to default configuration. We're a bit lost now what you've "tuned" already (and what for).

Yes, that's what I understand. But referring to the posts above, seems like changing the port solved his problem. Is it my understanding is wrong?

Regards,
Ridhuan

[ridhuan.amri]

LoL..Yup, looks like I have been using the wrong Starwind product for my development. Sorry for the confusion caused. Thanks for the great support btw!

Regards,
Ridhuan