You must activate your software iSCSI adapter so that your ESXi host can use it to access iSCSI storage. If you do not need the software iSCSI adapter after activation, you can disable it.

You can activate only one software iSCSI adapter.

Prerequisites

Required privilege: Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Note: If you boot from iSCSI using the software iSCSI adapter, the adapter is enabled and the network configuration is created at the first boot. If you disable the adapter, it is reenabled each time you boot the host.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.
  2. Click the Configure tab.
  3. Enable or disable the adapter.
    Option Description
    Enable the software iSCSI adapter
    1. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters, and click the Add icon.
    2. Select Software iSCSI Adapter and confirm that you want to add the adapter.

      The software iSCSI adapter (vmhba#) is enabled and appears on the list of storage adapters. After enabling the adapter, the host assigns the default iSCSI name to it. You can now complete the adapter configuration.

    Disable the software iSCSI adapter
    1. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters, and select the adapter (vmhba#) to disable.
    2. Click the Properties tab.
    3. Click Disable and confirm that you want to disable the adapter.

      The status indicates that the adapter is disabled.

    4. Reboot the host.

      After the reboot, the adapter no longer appears on the list of storage adapters. The storage devices associated with the adapter become inaccessible. You can later activate the adapter.