How to access luns through ISCSI connection

Question

Hello All, I am new to ISCSI topology in VNX. we have two ISCSI cards of 4 ports each. The ISSCI ports are available from A2P0 to P3 and B2port0 to P3. we won't be using separate VLAN for the iscsi connections.Have few doubts. 1. Do we need to assign IP for each ISCSI ports? 2. If we are assigning IP can we have same IP for all the 8 ports? 3. we will be using iscsi intiator software from host side( windows2012R2) to access the luns. how we can map the block luns to the windows hosts? Thanks ..

Roger_Wu · Answer

1. It depends you. You can assign IP to one or more iSCSI front-end data ports. According to the whitepaper "iSCSI SAN Topologies": http://www.emc.com/collateral/hardware/technical-documentation/h8080-iscsi-san-topologies.pdf

For high availability:

Connect one or more iSCSI front-end data ports on SP A to ports on the switch or router and connect the same number of iSCSl front-end data ports on SP B to ports on the same switch or router or on another switch or router, if two switches or routers are available.
For a multiple NIC or iSCSI HBA server, connect one or more NIC or iSCSI ports to ports on the switch or router and connect the same number NIC or iSCSI HBA ports to ports on the same switch or router or on another switch or router, if two switches or routers are available.

2. No, the IP addresses must be different. And some best practice you'd like to know: Best practices for connecting iSCSI initiators to a CLARiiON array

3. You can refer to the above whitepaper "iSCSI SAN Topologies", Use Case Scenarios > Configuring the VNX for Block. You can also generate a step-by-step configuration guide on VNX documentation portal: https://mydocs.emc.com/VNX/requestMyDoc.jsp

Raju_auh · Answer

Thanks..this case I have to assign 8 different IP's to ISCSI ports?

Roger_Wu · Answer

If you have 8 available iSCSI ports, yes, you need to assign 8 different IP addresses to them.

VNX

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