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Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 2 DISCLAIMER: THIS WHITE PAPER IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND MAY CONTAIN TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND TECHNICAL INACCURACIES. THE CONTENT IS PROVIDED AS IS, WITHOUT EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIE...
Page 3 - ABLE OF; SCSI
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 3 T ABLE OF C ONTENTS T ABLE OF C ONTENTS ................................................................................................................................ 3 T ERMINOLOGY /G LOSSARY .....
Page 4 - ERMINOLOGY
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 4 T ERMINOLOGY /G LOSSARY VD == virtual disk VM == virtual machine NIC == network interface card MPIO == Multi-Path I/O SAN == Storage Area Network RDM == Raw Device Map DVS == Distributed Virtual Sw...
Page 5 - NTRODUCTION; These steps necessary to connect to an iSCSI SAN are documented in; EW; NITIATOR; iSCSI Software Initiator; – With ESX4.1, the iSCSI software initiator was re-written from; Jumbo Frames; – With ESX 4.1 and vSphere4, Jumbo Frames can be enabled on the iSCSI; MPIO
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 5 I NTRODUCTION These steps necessary to connect to an iSCSI SAN are documented in VMware’s iSCSI SAN Configuration Guide which can be found on VMware’s website. This whitepaper goes into depth with ...
Page 6 - UPPORTED; prerequisites for installing VMware ESX server.
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 6 Third Party MPIO Support – With ESX4.1 and vSphere4, VMware has provided an architecture that enables PowerVault platforms to provide new and advanced intelligent integration. S UPPORTED H ARDWARE ...
Page 7 - RCHITECTURAL; PowerVault MD32x0i IP SAN Best Practices
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 7 A RCHITECTURAL S ETUP As a best practice, Dell recommends using a separate Gigabit Ethernet network switch to handle iSCSI storage traffic, see PowerVault MD32x0i IP SAN Best Practices . An IP SAN ...
Page 8 - VM; Guide and where names and IP; SAN; discussed in detail in this whitepaper.
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 8 C ONSIDERATIONS W HEN U SING I SCSI S OFTWARE OR H ARDWARE I NITIATORS FOR ESX4.1 ON THE MD32 XXI S TORAGE A RRAY Taking advantage of all of these new features requires some new steps to be taken b...
Page 9 - ONFIGURE I; STORAGE ON
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 9 The following assumptions are made for these examples: 1. Running ESX4.1 2. Running latest Dell PowerVault MD32xxi firmware 3. More than one Network Interface Card (NIC) set aside for iSCSI traffic...
Page 10 - ESX
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 10 Jumbo Frame support for their environment will want to take note of steps 1 and 2 but only create a single VMkernel port through the vCenter GUI after that. Users wishing to only enable Jumbo Fram...
Page 11 - TEP; KERNEL; VMware’s iSCSI SAN
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 11 You can note the new vSwitch2 with the MTU of 9000 to verify that the switch was created correctly. You can also see it displayed in the GUI of vCenter. Throughout these procedures some of the ver...
Page 16 - This process can be done either via vCLI or through the vCenter GUI.
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 16 Click Next after you have selected the chosen adapters. For now keep the defaults listed in the Failover Order screen and click Next . Review the adapters listed and click Finish completing the pr...
Page 20 - This can also be accomplished by using the vCenter GUI.
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 20 S TEP 5: ADD AN MD36 XXI INTO THE ESX RULE SET To use MD3600i with ESX 4.1 and ESX 4.1 Update 1, the MD36xxi PID has to be added to the manageable device list for VMW_SATP_LSI module. Otherwise, t...
Page 23 - connection to the PowerVault SAN. This step must be done via vCLI.
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 23 S TEP 7: B INDING VM KERNEL P ORTS TO I SCSI S OFTWARE I NITIATOR This next step will bind the VMkernel ports, which were configured in Step 4 earlier, to the iSCSI Software Initiator. If this ste...
Page 28 - Figure 1 Defining the Storage Array Host Topology
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 28 S TEP 9: P OWER V AULT MD32 XXI S TORAGE S ETUP AND C ONFIGURATION Create virtual disks on MD32xxi using steps described in: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/md3200i/multlang/GSG/DAO_...
Page 29 - Figure 2 Naming the Host
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 29 Naming the host Select a name that matches the naming convention used for the environment that you are configuring, for example, VMware_host1. Leave partitions enabled and select Next. Figure 2 Na...
Page 30 - Figure 3 Selecting Host Port Identifiers; go to
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 30 Selecting host port identifiers Using the pull down select the host port identifier. In this example because the iSCSI session has already been established the iqn is already in the list. Figure 3...
Page 31 - Figure 4 Adding Host Port Alias
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 31 Entering host port alias An alias is used in the topology tree to identify the port. Add a unique alias for this host port such as the one below, then select Add Figure 4 Adding Host Port Alias
Page 32 - Figure 5 Completed Host Port Identifier
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 32 The completed host port screen will be similar to the one below. Select Next to continue. Figure 5 Completed Host Port Identifier
Page 33 - Figure 6 Selecting Host Type
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 33 Select VMware as the host type Figure 6 Selecting Host Type
Page 34 - Figure 7 Host Group Question
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 34 If you intend to use advanced VMware features such as VMotion then this host will share access with other ESX servers and you will have to create a Host Group. We will create a host group for this...
Page 35 - Figure 8 Host Group Name
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 35 Host Group name Enter a host group name that is appropriate for your environment. For this example we used VMware_Group1 Figure 8 Host Group Name
Page 37 - Figure 10 Topology Creation Successful
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 37 Creation successful Select No at this time. You can add additional Hosts after you have finished configuring the current host. Figure 10 Topology Creation Successful
Page 38 - Figure 11 Selecting a Virtual Disk for mapping
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 38 Define Mappings for LUNs Note: In this example the Disk Groups and Virtual Disks have already been created using the wizard under the Setup Tab. In the topology tree expand the Undefined Mappings ...
Page 39 - Figure 12 Selecting the Host Group
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 39 Remember that the virtual disk is assigned to the host group and not the host. For this example we selected the host group that was defined in the previous steps. Figure 12 Selecting the Host Grou...
Page 40 - Figure 13 Assigning additional virtual disks
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 40 Assign the other virtual disk to the same host group. Figure 13 Assigning additional virtual disks
Page 41 - Figure 14 Completed Topology with Assigned Virtual Disks
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 41 After the virtual disks are assigned notice that the host group and its associated hosts are no longer under the default group in the topology. This completes the configuration. Figure 14 Complete...
Page 42 - WARE SEES THE VIRTUAL DISK; In the vSphere4 GUI click on
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 42 S TEP 10: P ERFORM RESCAN SO VM WARE SEES THE VIRTUAL DISK The next step is to connect to the volume on the SAN and verify the connection status. Since the iSCSI access and configuration was confi...
Page 44 - VMFS; ATASTORES; Add Storage
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 44 Repeat this step for each additional new Dell iSCSI disk that is created. S TEP 11: C REATE VMFS D ATASTORES Now that the iSCSI Software adapter is set up and configured and the Dell iSCSI disks a...
Page 46 - Figure 15 Selecting a LUN to create a Datastore
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 46 Select one of the LUNS from the MD32xxi to create a Datastore from. Figure 15 Selecting a LUN to create a Datastore
Page 47 - Figure 16 Disk Layout
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 47 This screen displays the information about the disk layout. Select next to create a VMFS partition. Figure 16 Disk Layout
Page 48 - Figure 17 Datastore name
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 48 Enter a Datastore name and select next. Figure 17 Datastore name
Page 49 - Figure 18 Maximum File Size
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 49 Adjust the Maximum file size as needed. For this example we used the maximum capacity. Select Next when finished. Figure 18 Maximum File Size
Page 50 - Figure 19 Review disk layout
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 50 Review the disk layout and click Finish to add storage. Figure 19 Review disk layout
Page 52 - utilization than in previous versions of ESX.
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 52 S TEP 12: C ONFIGURING VM WARE P ATH S ELECTION P OLICY Features enabled by configuring the iSCSI Software Initiator the way we have is that now we can take advantage of several multipathing polic...
Page 53 - ONTACT; References
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 53 The path selection can be either MRU or RR and the Storage Array Type should be VMW_SATP_LSI. C ONTACT I NFORMATION HTTP :// SUPPORT . DELL . COM / SUPPORT / TOPICS / GLOBAL . ASPX / SUPPORT / PRO...
Page 54 - PPENDIX; Steps for using the iSCSI Offload functions of a NIC; here; Considerations involving subnet configuration
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 54 A PPENDIX A Steps for using the iSCSI Offload functions of a NIC Lower CPU utilization and potentially lower power consumption justify offload adapters(a.k.a. h/w initiators). With hardware-based ...
Page 55 - Using the MD Configuration Utility(MDCU)
Dell PowerVault MD32xxi/MD36xxi Configuration Guide for VMware ESX4.1 Server Software June 2011 Page 55 Regardless of the pathing method in VMware, you will only have one active port on each controller of the array if you do not create additional subnets. Without additional subnets that will cause a...