Before your ESXi host can discover iSCSI storage, you must configure your iSCSI adapters. When you configure the adapters, you set several iSCSI parameters.
iSCSI Networking
For certain types of iSCSI adapters, you must configure VMkernel networking.
You can verify the network configuration by using the vmkping utility.
The independent hardware iSCSI adapter does not require VMkernel networking. You can configure network parameters, such as an IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway on the independent hardware iSCSI adapter.
All types of iSCSI adapters support IPv4 and IPv6 protocols.
| iSCSI Adapter (vmhba) | Description | VMkernel Networking | Adapter Network Settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Hardware iSCSI Adapter | Third-party adapter that offloads the iSCSI and network processing and management from your host. | Not required. | For information, see Edit Network Settings for Hardware iSCSI. |
| Software iSCSI Adapter | Uses standard NICs to connect your host to a remote iSCSI target on the IP network. | Required. For information, see Setting Up Network for iSCSI and iSER. |
N/A |
| Dependent Hardware iSCSI Adapter | Third-party adapter that depends on VMware networking and iSCSI configuration and management interfaces. | Required For information, see Setting Up Network for iSCSI and iSER. |
N/A |
| VMware iSER Adapter | Uses an RDMA-capable network adapter to connect your host to a remote iSCSI target. | Required For information, see Setting Up Network for iSCSI and iSER. |
N/A |
Discovery Methods
For all types of iSCSI adapters, you must set the dynamic discovery address or static discovery address. In addition, you must provide a target name of the storage system. For software iSCSI and dependent hardware iSCSI, the address is pingable using vmkping.
See Configure Dynamic or Static Discovery for iSCSI and iSER on ESXi Host.
CHAP Authentication
Enable the CHAP parameter on the initiator and the storage system side. After authentication is enabled, it applies to all targets that are not yet discovered. It does not apply to targets that are already discovered.
See Configuring CHAP Parameters for iSCSI or iSER Storage Adapters.
