Testing HBA using BIOS

I was implementing Hardware based ISCIS for my ESX host running U4. I choose Qlogic QLE4062C .

When you choose to implement hardware based ISCIS first thing is to test ISCIS connection to NetAPP
filer. This connectivity should be checked from BIOS level. This will insure and eliminate any OS level
constrain. To get into BIOS, reboot the ESX host and press Ctrl+Q (Ours are DL380G5)

Once you get into BIOS of HBA then you will see all the card plugged in with all relevant information

Now select the individual card and we need to IP and then we need to ping the target.

Select card and press enter it will bring “ Fast!util Options” (It may be only for Qlogic card)
It will then bring second screen where you need to select “Host Adapter Setting”

You can see IQN as well as configure Initiator IP settings.

Make sure that correct IP version is selected and DHCP is disabled (If you have decided).
Press escape and it will ask for saving config. Again it will come back to “Option screen” . Select “Ping
Utility”

Supply the correct IP and run the ping test. It will come with the message if it is successful or not

If this failed then you need to troubleshoot the network /Storage part of it.

Make sure that before you place a call with vendor all are under supported list. Like NetApp or whatever
storage solution is used support HBA. HBA has latest firmware.
Incase ping failed then connect your storage device directly to HBA’s using cross over cable and see if
you can ping. If you can that means there is some Switch or network issue for sure. If you cannot then
you have filer or HBA issue.

After the ping successful we are all set to access storage using HBA’s. We need to configure Storage and
present the lun to ESX host. In our case we are using NetAPP filer FS3050

Creating LUN on FS3050

Setting LUN Type and Initiator Group Type

Set the appropriate LUN type and initiator group type for the storage system:
�LUN type – VMware (if VMware type is not available, use Linux).
�Initiator group type – VMware (if VMware type is not available, use Linux).

Provisioning Storage

You must provision storage, using either FilerView or CLI.

Creating LUNs and igroups with FilerView

You can use FilerView to create LUNs and igroups with the following methods:

 LUN Wizard
 Menu
o Create LUN
o Create igroup
o Map LUN

Creating Luns with The Lun Wizard

To use the LUN Wizard to create LUNs and igroups, complete the following steps.

Step Action
1 Launch FilerView, as described in Launching FilerView.

2 Click LUNs in the left panel of the FilerView screen.The management tasks you
can perform on LUNs are displayed.
3 Click Wizard.The LUN Wizard window appears and explains how to use it.

4 Click the Next button to continue.The first window of fields in the LUN Wizard
appears.
 Follow the instructions in the LUN Wizard and enter information in the
appropriate fields.
6 At the Commit Changes window, review your input. If everything is correct,
click Commit. The LUN Wizard: Success! window appears and the LUN you
created is mapped to the igroups you specified.

Creating LUNs and igroups with FilerView menus

Creating LUNs
To create a LUN using FilerView menus, complete the following steps.

Step Action
1 Launch FilerView, as described in Launching FilerView.

2 Go to LUNs > Add.

3 Fill in the fields.

4 Click the Add button to commit changes.

Creating igroups
To create an igroup using FilerView menus, complete the following steps.

Step Action
1 Launch FilerView, as described in Launching FilerView.

2 Go to Initiator Groups > Add.

3 Fill in the fields.

4 Click the Add button to commit changes.

Mapping LUNs to igroups

To map LUNs to igroups using FilerView menus, complete the following steps.

Step Action
1 Launch FilerView, as described in Launching FilerView.

2 Go to LUNs > Manage.

3 In the first column, find the LUN you want to map an igroup to.

 If the LUN is mapped, yes or the name of the igroup and the LUN ID appears in the last
column.
 If the LUN is not mapped, no or No Maps appears in the last column.

4 Click the Add Groups to Map link.

5 Click the link under the Maps column for the LUN you want to map an igroup to.

6 Select an igroup name from the list on the right side of the window.
7 Click the Add button to commit the changes.

You can also provision the storage using a CLI.

To provision storage by using a CLI

1. Use a CLI to create an aggregate if required.

aggr create <vmware-aggr> <number of disks>

2. Create a flexible volume.

vol create <aggregate name> <volume size>

3. Create a Qtree to store each LUN.

qtree create <path>

4. Create a LUN.
lun create -s <size> -t vmware <path>

5. Create an initiator group.

igroup create -f -t vmware <igroup name>

6. Map the LUN to the initiator group you created.

lun map (<path>) <igroup name> <LUN ID>

Configuring LUN for ESX host

1. Log in to the VI Client and select a server from the inventory panel.

2. Click the Configuration tab and click Storage Adapters in the Hardware group.
The list of available storage adapters (initiators) appears. The iSCSI initiator
appears in the list of storage adapters.
3. Under HBA, choose the initiator to configure.
The details for the initiator appear, including the model, IP address, iSCSI name,
discovery methods, iSCSI alias, and any discovered targets.

4. Click Properties. The iSCSI Initiator Properties dialog box appears. The General tab displays
additional characteristics of the initiator.
To set up the iSCSI name, alias, and IP address for the hardware initiator

1. Open the iSCSI Initiator Properties dialog box by performing the steps listed in
2. Click Configure.
The General Properties dialog box appears.

3. To change the default iSCSI name for your initiator, enter the new name.
Format the name you enter properly; otherwise, some storage devices might not
recognize the hardware iSCSI initiator. You can use the default name supplied by
the vendor. It does not have to be changed.
4. Enter the iSCSI alias. The alias is a name that you use to identify the hardware iSCSI initiator.

5. If you selected Use the following IP settings, enter values for the following:
�IP Address
�Subnet Mask
�Default Gateway

6. Click OK to save your changes, then reboot the server for the changes to take effect.
To set up target discovery addresses using Dynamic Discovery

1. Open the iSCSI Initiator Properties dialog box by performing the steps listed in
2. In the iSCSI Initiator Properties dialog box, click the Dynamic Discovery tab.

3. To add a new iSCSI target that your ESX Server host can use for a SendTargets
session, click Add. The Add SendTargets Server dialog box appears.

4. Enter the IP address of a storage system and click OK. After your ESX Server host establishes
the SendTargets session with this target device, any newly discovered targets appear in the
Static Discovery list.
5. To change or delete a specific IP address, select it and click Edit or Remove.