Is it possible to mount starwind files locally?

[tys]

Hi,

I'd like to know how to mount the image files locally.

I have 5 MSSQL servers. My plan is to let servers to create a dump on iSCSI volume(because MSSQL needs "physical" disk volume for dump location), then take a backup of these datas as windows files.
Because of my company's rule, backup shouldn't be a image file but windows readable files.

I'm going to attach a big size of HDDs to Backup server which running Starwind, means work as iSCSI target for MSSQL servers dump location.
If I share the iSCSI volumes on MSSQL servers to take a network backup, operation is will become very simple.
However this solution cause a redundant network data flow as follows.
[dump] MSSQL --iSCSI--> HDD
[backup] HDD --iSCSI--> MSSQL --IP--> BackupServer
The ideal data for the backup process is to open image file as real data loclally(not through iSCSI protocol) then take a backup.

If someone has idea. Please let me know.

Thanks,
tys

[anton (staff)]

Configure any iSCSI initiator to connect to StarWind thru the loopback. Would work just fine.

[tys]

Thank you Anton,

So how the following path is changed?
[dump] MSSQL --iSCSI--> HDD
[backup] HDD --iSCSI--> MSSQL --IP--> BackupServer

I don't really understand why loopback helps the situation.
And how to change the initiator to loopback?

If MSSQL has 2 NICS which is for normal LAN(100Mb) and the other for iSCSI dedicated(Gb), loopback still helps?

Sorry for many question and thank you for your support.
tys

[anton (staff)]

Run StarWind locally and connect you 127.0.0.1 to get loopback connection.

Thank you Anton,

So how the following path is changed?
[dump] MSSQL --iSCSI--> HDD
[backup] HDD --iSCSI--> MSSQL --IP--> BackupServer

I don't really understand why loopback helps the situation.
And how to change the initiator to loopback?

If MSSQL has 2 NICS which is for normal LAN(100Mb) and the other for iSCSI dedicated(Gb), loopback still helps?

Sorry for many question and thank you for your support.
tys