Configuring Storage : Performing the initial setup : Configuring iSCSI settings
  
Configuring iSCSI settings
You can view and configure the iSCSI initiator, local interfaces for MPIO, portals, and targets in the ISCSI Initiator / MPIO page.
The iSCSI initiator settings configure how the Core communicates with one or more storage arrays (targets) through the specified portal configuration.
After configuring the iSCSI portal, you can open the portal configuration to configure targets.
To configure the iSCSI initiator
1. Choose Configure > Storage Array: ISCSI Initiator / MPIO to display the ISCSI Initiator / MPIO page.
Figure: ISCSI Initiator / MPIO page
2. Under iSCSI Initiator Configuration, configure authentication using the controls described in this table.
Control
Description
Initiator Name
Specify the name of the initiator to be configured.
Enable Header Digest
Includes the header digest data from the iSCSI PDU.
Enable Data Digest
Includes the data digest data from the iSCSI PDU.
Enable Mutual CHAP Authentication
Enables bidirectional Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) authentication. This option adds yet another level of security where the target and the initiator authenticate each other. A separate secret is set for each target and each initiator in the storage array.
CHAP provides protection against playback attack by the peer through the use of an incrementally changing identifier and a variable challenge value.
For details about setting up mutual CHAP, see To configure mutual CHAP.
Enable MPIO (Multi-Path I/O)
Enables the Multi-Path I/O (MPIO) feature.
MPIO enables you to connect the appliance to the network and to the storage system through multiple physical I/O interfaces, so the data connection can continue in the event of a cable, switch, or other physical failure.
Enable Standard Routing for MPIO
Enables the connection to be established through standard routing if the iSCSI portal isn’t in the same subnet as the MPIO interfaces.
Apply
Applies the changes to the running configuration.
To add local interfaces for MPIO
1. Choose Configure > Storage Array: ISCSI Initiator / MPIO to display the ISCSI Initiator / MPIO page.
2. Under Local Interfaces for MPIO (Multi-Path I/O), click Add Interface.
3. Select an available interface from the drop-down list.
4. Click Add Interface.
To remove an MPIO interface configuration, click the X icon next to the interface name.
Figure: ISCSI Initiator / MPIO page - Local Interfaces for MPIO (Multi-Path I/O)
Note: When an MPIO interface is removed from the Edge, the existing initiator connections over that interface are not disconnected. You still see active data paths for a LUN over the old interfaces. This prevents you from accidentally losing access to the target if the new interfaces are not working or there are path issues. When the Edge target MPIO interfaces change, ESXi will continue showing old portals and old MPIO paths. Therefore, you will need to remove old portals manually and doing this will disconnect the old MPIO paths for the LUNs.
To configure an iSCSI portal
1. Choose Configure > Storage Array: ISCSI Initiators / MPIO to display the ISCSI Initiators / MPIO page.
Figure: ISCSI Initiators / MPIO page - iSCSI Portal Configuration
2. Under iSCSI Portal Configuration, add or modify iSCSI portal configurations using the controls described in this table.
Control
Description
Add an iSCSI Portal
Displays controls for configuring and adding a new iSCSI portal.
Hostname or IP Address
Specify the IP address of the iSCSI portal.
Port
Specify the port number of the iSCSI portal. The default is 3260.
Authentication
Select an authentication method (None or CHAP) from the drop-down list.
Note: If you select CHAP, the CHAP User field displays where you specify (or create) the CHAP username.
Add iSCSI Portal
Adds the defined iSCSI portal to the running configuration.
3. To view or modify portal settings, click the portal IP address in the portals list to access the following set of controls.
Control
Description
Status/Settings
Configure or confirm the following settings:
•  Portal Status - Indicates whether the portal is connected.
•  MPIO Portals - Click Rescan for Portals to discover additional portals available on the storage system. You can then add them for redundancy, to prevent disconnection.
•  Port - Specify the port setting for the selected iSCSI portal.
•  Authentication - Specify either None or CHAP from the drop-down list.
•  Update iSCSI Portal - Updates the portal settings configuration.
Offline LUNs
Click Offline LUNs to take all LUNs offline that are serviced by this selected iSCSI portal.
Note: The process of taking a LUN offline requires you first to power off the Windows server at the affected branch and then to unmount the LUN from ESX (if necessary). For details, see the SteelFusion Design Guide.
4. To add a target to the newly configured portal:
–  Click the portal IP address in the list to expand the set of controls.
–  Under Targets, add a target for the portal using the controls described in this table.
Control
Description
Add a Target
Displays controls for adding a target.
Target Name
Enter the target name or choose from available targets.
Note: You can also rescan for available targets using this field.
Port
Specify the port number of the target.
Add Target
Adds the newly defined target to the current iSCSI portal configuration.
5. To modify an existing a target configuration:
–  Click the portal IP address in the list to expand the set of controls.
–  Under Targets, click the target name in the Targets table to expand the target settings using the controls described in this table.
Control
Description
Status/Settings
Open this tab to modify the port and snapshot configuration settings.
Offline LUNs
Open this tab to access the Offline LUNs button.
Clicking this button takes all configured LUNs offline that are serviced by the current target.
Note: The process of taking a LUN offline requires you first to power off the Windows server at the affected branch and then to unmount the LUN from ESX (if necessary). For details, see the SteelFusion Design Guide.