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December 6th, 2010 06:00
Install ESX 4 on iSCSI SAN?
Hi,
i'm quite new to esx and SAN, so perhaps this question is quite simple to answer... i tried google for several hours, but couldnt find any suitable answers.
got 2 dell r610 (broadcom 5709 with toe and iscsi offload, NO local disks/controller) and one md3200i. this configuration was made by dell, i just told them, we need a functional eviroment for 2 servers and storage. so they told me: go with diskless and install esx an flashdrive...
i tried that, but discoverd after serveral hours that it is not possible to do a flash-only install, because esx needs a vmfs-partition for the serverconsole datastore, which will be created during install. great
so i thought: hey, i got 2tb worth of diskspace on the md3200, why not use some of that for the datastore... so i created 2 dedicated LUNs and defined one r610 each as a host. in the storage-manager the md3200 detected the boradcomes as initiators...
so i fired up the install... and what the frag, no SAN to choose from...
connection between nics and md3200 is working (when i select the nic as boot device, it connects to the md3200)...
what am i missing? what did i wrong? or is this not possible and we have to purchase local disks/controllers (which would be very "sad", because the whole system setup was a recommendation by dell)
thanx for your help
Dev Mgr
4 Operator
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9.3K Posts
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December 6th, 2010 08:00
Get ESXi. This is the version that's designed to be installed on the flash drive.
As SAN is new to you, I'd highly recommend against trying to figure out boot-from-SAN.
You may want to check your order details, as your system may be entitled to a remote installation by Dell (in the US this is the default (you have to specifically select not to purchase the service). This is scheduled (couple days out usually from what I've seen and heard), but if you want to have some help, it could be a way to get your SAN set up.
JOHNADCO
2 Intern
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847 Posts
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December 21st, 2010 13:00
Even if not new to san. Don't try to boot from your Vmware from it. Really, on the Dell reccomedations? Are you sure there is not a flash drive in there with the software already on it? Dell never reccomends truly diskless hosts, but these days they put mutiple OS's on the flash drive and you choose what you want on first boot. Works really slick from what I am told. I don't have anything newer than a 2970 myself. Which could be ordered with ESXi ont he flash drive.
We pretty much gave up on the flash drives though..... Dell includes lower end integrated controllers in the price of most any host that will at least do a simple raid 1 drive mirror.
If you were not new to SANs you probably would not want the OS of your hypervisor on there. Loading on hypervisor locally allows a complete detachment of Host and VM storage wise which is a good thing further improving the Virtualization model in my opinion.