Comments on: iSCSI Connections on EqualLogic PS Series

By: EqualLogic, VMware & iSCSI Connections « Marc's thoughts on Dell EqualLogic

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:33:10 +0000

[...] iSCSI Connections on EqualLogic PS Series http://www.2vcps.com/2010/02/16/iscsi-connections-eq/ [...]

By: I’m going to the first ever EqualLogic User Conference! (And my gripe list) « Michael Ellerbeck

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:42:35 +0000

[...] So using an EqualLogic box is simplicity itself but everything else surrounding it is a lot more difficult! What I would desire is a ‘cookbook’ type of setup. So, for example if I bought a PS6000 and had future plans of buying more EqualLogic SANS (who wouldn’t) then (I think you would) would most likely recommend two 48 port 6224’s that you would then stack (we unfortunately ended up with the 24 port version which we will have to upgrade soon since we outgrew it, this sucks. I mean the whole point of EL is to be able to add, add, add to the virtual storage pool… well if I run out of ports I can’t very well do that can I?) Also, be very clear of the ramifications of total number of iSCSI connections to a pool! With just a couple of ESX servers you can easily blow that number out of the water!!! This is a great post about that BTW http://www.2vcps.com/2010/02/16/iscsi-connections-eq/ [...]

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:24:47 +0000

I recently used the “CONFIGURING VMWARE VSPHERE SOFTWARE ISCSI WITH DELL EQUALLOGIC PS SERIES STORAGE” to configure a new ESXi 4 server.

The other day I noticed this posting in the VMware section of the Equallogic KnowledgeBase.
“ESX 4, ESXi 4 (including Update1) having issues with dropped “MPIO connections” using native software initiator” – https://na6.salesforce.com/_ui/selfservice/pkb/PublicKnowledgeSolution/d?orgId=00D300000000Ar6&id=50180000000qnpM&retURL=%2Fsol%2Fpublic%2Fsolutionbrowser.jsp%3Fcid%3D02n300000000b3Q%26orgId%3D00D300000000Ar6&ps=1

From what I’ve read on several websites, even the workaround suggested by Equallogic still has the same problem. The other rumor I’ve read is that it will not get fixed until ESX(i) Update 5!!!

By: Jon Owings

Jon Owings — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:28:29 +0000

Yes. I had the first whitepaper hot off the presses. Thanks for the link to the new version. Internally we started doing a 1:1 vmkernel to nic ratio whenever a 4000 series is involved. 6000 and the 6500 don’t seem to sweat when I throw 4 vmkernel ports at it.

By: Jeff Sullivan

Jeff Sullivan — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:17:40 +0000

Hi Jon,

Nice post! I talked to a couple of the guru’s internally about the content. I’d like to point out a couple of things: I think you might be referencing the old version of the “CONFIGURING VMWARE VSPHERE SOFTWARE ISCSI WITH DELL EQUALLOGIC PS SERIES STORAGE” paper( 1.0) with a 2:1 or even 3:1 example. Version 1.1 (found here: http://www.equallogic.com/resourcecenter/assetview.aspx?id=8453) of the paper has better information about what is actually going on and recommends a 1:1 session connection. FYI – This is something we are looking into.

–Take It easy!

Jeff Sullivan
Delltechcenter.com
@sanpenguin

By: Jon Owings

Jon Owings — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:39:05 +0000

Fixed. I must have crossed that up somehow. I didn’t look right to me. Thanks for the catch.

Yes. The planning part is super important. Now that I know it is not a big deal. Thanks again.

By: David

David — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:55:22 +0000

Jon, recheck line three in your table.
As you’ve noticed multipathing can consume iSCSI session very quickly, so careful planning is important.