NFS Storage for ESXi5.5

Good day All,

Welcome back!!!

In-case your are not a big fan of iscsi target Server but want to use NFS for shared storage to create a ESXi cluster here are the below steps which i followed and worked for me...


1. We need to add the Feature if already File Server role is enabled, if not then enable Server for NFS under File and Storage Service ,File and iSCSI Services as below



2.  Create a Folder which you want to be shared on the Esxi host..in my example i created as NFS_Mount.
Right click got to Properties and click on NFS Sharing tab and click Manage NFS Sharing






Change the permission from Read only to Read-Write and click allow Root access if you need to login as root and configure the storage on ESXi host as below




Click ok apply it and close the properties window.

3. Login to Esxi using the vSphere client , go to Configuration and click Storage.
Under storage click Add Storage



Select NFS


Provide a target Server where NFS share is created, give the folder name you have used and datastore name and click Next



Review everything and click Finish


So you have successfully add the NFS share ..


you can do the same for the other ESXi host and use it in your LAB incase you ever have to build a ESXi cluster.


Hope this helps someone and until next one you all have a good day!!!

Windows 2012 R2 iSCSI Target Server for Esxi 5.5

Good day All,

Welcome back!!!
Its been a break couple of days lot of other work kept me busy in writing a post.
As i am still playing with my Nano Servers, thought to setup in Parallel a ESXi Cluster too so that i can test and play both in VMware and also Hyper V.

When it comes to storage earlier i used open filer a VM appliance which you can download and configure as iSCSI target Server as Windows based iSCSI Target Server never worked.

So with Windows 2012 R2 inbuilt ISCSI target i started to test the ESXi host to see if this recognizes  the Luns.

Note: If you see the below Lab details, i have used a dedicated iSCSI IP for communication.

Lab:


Domain Name: vlab

Domain Controller:

FOODC - 192.168.1.20 Windows 2012 R2
iSCSI IP: 192.168.2.20

ESX HOSTS:

FOOESX1: 192.168.1.81
iscsi IP: 192.168.2.81

FOOESX2: 192.168.1.82
iscsi IP: 192.168.2.82


Setting up iSCSI Target on Windows 2012 R2 i will not go over because i went in detail in my First post this year and you can check the link

Steps to be done on the ESXi Host:


1. install the vSphere Client
2. Connect the ESxi host
3.Click Configuration tab and make sure to update Time Configuration, DNS and Routing


4.Click on Network Adapters and make sure you have a dedicated NIC for iscsi traffic.
So if you see below i have added 1 more NIC for iscsi traffic called vmnic1



5. Go to Networking and click on Add networking as below




a. Select VMKernel and click next



b, Select a dedicated NIC for iscsi traffic and click Next




c. Keep the default or if you need to change the name from VMKernel you can do it and click next



d. Assign a IP Address for the NIC and click Next



e.Click next and finish and you have just created a VMKernel Port group and a dedicated switch for iscsi traffic
 

6. Now its time add the iscsi initiator , go to storage adapters and click Add






 
7. Ping the 2 Esxi host VMKernal IP from iscsi target server to make sure its pinging on the dedicated NIC


8. Now go to Windows 2012 R2 Server, create a iSCSI Virtual disk and add the 2 esxi host IP address..



9. Now in storage Adapters click Properties



on the Network configuration tab, add the vmkernel port group we created earlier.


Under Dynamic Discovery add the iscsi target Server IP and click ok



Now automatic rescan of adapter will happen or you do it manually by clicking Rescan All...
As seen below the new 90 GB Lun is attached and mounted to ESXi host.





9. Follow the same steps on the other ESXi host




Well this was easy.. hope this helps someone and until next one you all have a good day!!!!