Set Up Independent
Hardware iSCSI with ESXCLI
With independent
hardware-based iSCSI storage, you use a specialized third-party adapter capable
of accessing iSCSI storage over TCP/IP. This iSCSI initiator handles all iSCSI
and network processing and management for your
system.
- Verify that you are familiar with iSCSI authentication. See Enabling iSCSI Authentication.
- Verify that you are familiar with CHAP. See Setting iSCSI CHAP.
- Verify that you are familiar with iSCSI parameters. See Listing and Setting iSCSI Parameters.
You must install and configure
the independent hardware iSCSI adapter for your host before you can access the
iSCSI storage device. For installation information, see vendor documentation.
Hardware iSCSI setup requires
a number of high-level tasks. You should be familiar with the corresponding
command for each task. You can refer to the relevant documentation for each
command or run
esxcli iscsi --help
in the console. Specify one of the
options listed in
Connection Options for vCLI Host Management Commands
in place of
<conn_options>
.
- Determine the iSCSI adapter type and retrieve the iSCSI adapter ID.esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter list
- Configure the hardware initiator (HBA) by runningesxcli iscsi networkportal ipconfigwith one or more of the following options.OptionDescription-A|--adapter=<str>iSCSI adapter name (required)-1|--dns1=<str>iSCSI network portal primary DNS address-2|--dns2=<str>iSCSI network portal secondary DNS address-g|--gateway=<str>iSCSI network portal gateway address-i|--ip=<str>iSCSI network portal IP address (required)-n|--nic=<str>iSCSI network portal (vmknic)-s|--subnet=<str>iSCSI network portal subnet mask (required)
- Set the iSCSI name and alias.esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter set --adapter <adapter_name> --name=<name> esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter set --adapter <adapter_name> --alias=<alias>
- Add a dynamic discovery address or a static discovery address.
- With dynamic discovery, all storage targets associated with a host name or IP address are discovered. You can run the following command.esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget add --address=<ip/dns[:port]> --adapter=<adapter_name>
- With static discovery, you must specify the host name or IP address and the iSCSI name of the storage target. You can run the following command.esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter discovery statictarget add --address=<ip/dns[:port]> --adapter=<adapter_name> --name=<target_name>
- Set the authentication information for CHAP.You can set per-target CHAP for static targets, per-adapter CHAP, or apply the command to the discovery address.OptionCommandAdapter-level CHAPesxcli iscsi adapter auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=[prohibited, discouraged, preferred, required] --secret=<string> --adapter=<vmhba>Discovery-level CHAPesxcli iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=[prohibited, discouraged, preferred, required] --secret=<string> --adapter=<vmhba> --address<sendtarget_address>Target-level CHAPesxcli iscsi adapter target portal auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=[prohibited, discouraged, preferred, required] --secret=<string> --adapter=<vmhba> --name<iscsi_iqn_name>The following example sets adapter-level CHAP.esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter auth chap set --direction=uni --chap_username=<name> --chap_password=<pwd> --level=preferred --secret=uni_secret --adapter=vmhba33Mutual CHAP is not supported for independent hardware iSCSI storage.
- Set iSCSI parameters.OptionCommandAdapter-level CHAPesxcli iscsi adapter param set --adapter=<vmhba> --key=<key> --value=<value>Discovery-level CHAPesxcli iscsi adapter discovery sendtarget param set --adapter=<vmhba> --key=<key> --value=<value> --address=<sendtarget_address>Target-level CHAPesxcli iscsi adapter target portal param set --adapter=<vmhba> --key=<key> --value=<value> --address=<address> --name=<iqn.name>
- After setup is complete, runesxcli storage core adapter rescan --adapter=<iscsi_adapter>to rescan all storage devices.
- After setup is complete, perform rediscovery and rescan all storage devices.The following example performs the rediscovery and rescan operations.esxcli <conn_options> iscsi adapter discovery rediscover esxcli <conn_options> storage core adapter rescan --adapter=vmhba36