An independent hardware iSCSI adapter is a specialized third-party adapter capable of accessing iSCSI storage over TCP/IP. This iSCSI adapter handles all iSCSI and network processing and management for your ESXi system.

Prerequisites

  • Verify whether the adapter must be licensed.
  • Install the adapter on your ESXi host.

For information about licensing, installation, and firmware updates, see vendor documentation.

The process of setting up the independent hardware iSCSI adapter includes these steps.

Step Description
View Independent Hardware iSCSI Adapters View an independent hardware iSCSI adapter and verify that it is correctly installed and ready for configuration.
Modify General Properties for iSCSI or iSER Adapters on ESXi Hosts If needed, change the default iSCSI name and alias assigned to your iSCSI adapters. For the independent hardware iSCSI adapters, you can also change the default IP settings.
Edit Network Settings for Hardware iSCSI Change default network settings so that the adapter is configured properly for the iSCSI SAN.
Configure Dynamic or Static Discovery for iSCSI and iSER on ESXi Host Set up dynamic discovery. With dynamic discovery, each time the initiator contacts a specified iSCSI storage system, it sends the SendTargets request to the system. The iSCSI system responds by supplying a list of available targets to the initiator. In addition to the dynamic discovery method, you can use static discovery and manually enter information for the targets.
Set Up CHAP for iSCSI or iSER Storage Adapter If your iSCSI environment uses the Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), configure it for your adapter.
Enable Jumbo Frames for Independent Hardware iSCSI If your iSCSI environment supports Jumbo Frames, enable them for the adapter.

View Independent Hardware iSCSI Adapters

On the ESXi host, view an independent hardware iSCSI adapter and verify that it is correctly installed and ready for configuration.

After you install an independent hardware iSCSI adapter on the host, it appears on the list of storage adapters available for configuration. You can view its properties.

Prerequisites

Required privilege: Host.Configuration.Storage Partition Configuration

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.
  2. Click the Configure tab.
  3. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters.
    If installed, the hardware iSCSI adapter appears on the list of storage adapters.
  4. Select the adapter to view.
    The default details for the adapter appear.
    Adapter Information Description
    Model Model of the adapter.
    iSCSI Name Unique name formed according to iSCSI standards that identifies the iSCSI adapter. You can edit the iSCSI name.
    iSCSI Alias A friendly name used instead of the iSCSI name. You can edit the iSCSI alias.
    IP Address Address assigned to the iSCSI HBA.
    Targets Number of targets accessed through the adapter.
    Devices All storage devices or LUNs the adapter can access.
    Paths All paths the adapter uses to access storage devices.

Edit Network Settings for Hardware iSCSI

After you install an independent hardware iSCSI adapter on an ESXi host, you might need to change its default network settings so that the adapter is configured properly for the iSCSI SAN.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, navigate to the ESXi host.
  2. Click the Configure tab.
  3. Under Storage, click Storage Adapters, and select the adapter (vmhba#) to configure.
  4. Click the Network Settings tab and click Edit.
  5. In the IPv4 settings section, deactivate IPv4 or select the method to obtain IP addresses.
    Note: The automatic DHCP option and static option are mutually exclusive.
    Option Description
    No IPv4 settings Deactivate IPv4.
    Obtain IPv4 settings automatically Use DHCP to obtain IP settings.
    Use static IPv4 settings

    Enter the IPv4 IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for the iSCSI adapter.

  6. In the IPv6 settings section, deactivate IPv6 or select an appropriate option for obtaining IPv6 addresses.
    Note: Automatic options and the static option are mutually exclusive.
    Option Description
    No IPv6 settings Deactivate IPv6.
    Enable IPv6 Select an option for obtaining IPv6 addresses.
    Obtain IPv6 addresses automatically through DHCP Use DHCP to obtain IPv6 addresses.
    Obtain IPv6 addresses automatically through Router Advertisement Use router advertisement to obtain IPv6 addresses.
    Override Link-local address for IPv6 Override the link-local IP address by configuring a static IP address.
    Static IPv6 addresses
    1. Click Add to add a new IPv6 address.
    2. Enter the IPv6 address and subnet prefix length, and click OK.
  7. In the DNS settings section, provide IP addresses for a preferred DNS server and an alternate DNS server.
    You must provide both values.