Citrix XenServer - IsCSI Configuration Guide

Citrix XenServer - iSCSI Configuration Guide

With reference to XenServer 5.6 Feature Pack 1

Hitachi Data Systems Page 1

Table of Contents

Preface .................................................................................................................................................... 2 Document Conventions .......................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3 System Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction to iSCSI Setup ..................................................................................................................... 3 Configuring dedicated storage NIC in Xen Server ................................................................................... 4 Configuring iSCSI AMS2300 Storage ...................................................................................................... 7 Create iSCSI Target ........................................................................................................................ 7 ISCSI Target security ...................................................................................................................... 8 Create CHAP user .......................................................................................................................... 8 iSCSI Target authentication ......................................................................................................... 10 Adding iSCSI Storage LUNs to Citrix XENServer ................................................................................... 11


Preface

This document provides guidelines on how to configure iSCSI in Citrix XenServer with reference to XenServer

5.6 Feature Pack 1 and also provides information about configuration of iSCSI AMS 2000 series storage and

creation of Storage Repository (SR) in Citrix XenServer. Configuration methods are mostly described with

screenshots.

Document Conventions

This document uses the following conventions to draw your attention to certain information.

Bold - Indicates text on a window, including window title, menus, menu options, buttons,

fields, and labels. Example: Click OK.

Italic - Indicates a variable, which is a placeholder for actual text provided by the user or system.

Example: copy source-file target-file.


Introduction

Citrix XenServer is a server virtualization platform. It supports both Windows and Linux virtual servers, with all

the capabilities required to create and manage a virtual infrastructure.

XenServer runs directly on server hardware without requiring an additional underlying operating system.

XenServer works by virtualizing the hardware. Hardware virtualization abstracts characteristics, such as hard

drives, resources, or ports, of the system from the hardware and allocates it to the virtualized computer(s)

running on it. These virtualized "computers," are known as virtual machines (VMs).

XenServer can be managed through XenCenter, a Windows administration tool, or via a command line interface

(CLI) running on Linux or Windows.

System Requirements

XenServer requires at least two separate physical x86 computers: one to be the XenServer host, and the other to

run the XenCenter application. The XenServer host machine is dedicated entirely to the task of hosting VMs and

is not used for other applications.

To support VMs running Windows, an Intel VT or AMD-V 64-bit x86-based system with one or more CPUs is

required. To run Windows VMs, hardware support for virtualization must be enabled on the XenServer host.

This option is available in the BIOS.

The remote XenCenter application for managing the XenServer host can be installed and run on any Windows

Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows XP or Windows Vista machine.

For details on system requirement, refer Citrix XenServer documents.

Introduction to iSCSI Setup

It is assumed that XenServer have two available network cards for iSCSI storage connectivity other than

management network card. Each NIC is connected to redundant iSCSI storage ports through redundant LAN

switches. Each end-to-end connectivity is in different subnet. The schematic diagram of the setup is as below.

LAN Switch - 1

Xen Server 5.6 Features Pack 1 iSCSI 10G AMS 2000

10G NIC Card (Management) Port IP Address

10G NIC Card (Stoarge), IP 192.168.10.13 0A 192.168.10.11

10G NIC Card (Storage), IP 192.169.10.35 1A 192.169.10.33

LAN Switch - 2

Fugure-1


Configuring a dedicated storage NIC

1. Login into Citrix XenServer and select a NIC to be used for Storage connectivity

# ifconfig -a

2. Note the uuid of Network card

# xe pif-list

………

uuid ( RO) : 81f5d653-566a-2f74-64cb-e8305ebd849b

device ( RO) : eth4

currently-attached ( RO) : true

VLAN ( RO) : -1

network-uuid ( RO) : 7d37e8a5-c93a-42ec-87b5-c95b2e29f181

…….

3. Setup an IP configuration for the PIF (Physical Interface), adding appropriate values for the mode

parameter and if using static IP addressing the IP, netmask, gateway, and DNS parameters:

# xe pif-reconfigure-ip uuid=81f5d653-566a-2f74-64cb-e8305ebd849b mode=static \

gateway=192.168.10.13 IP=192.168.10.13 netmask=255.255.255.0

4. Set the PIF's disallow-unplug parameter to true:

# xe pif-param-set disallow-unplug=true uuid=81f5d653-566a-2f74-64cb-e8305ebd849b

# xe pif-param-set other-config:management_purpose="Storage" \

uuid=81f5d653-566a-2f74-64cb-e8305ebd849b

5. Check storage port IP Address is reachable

# ping 192.168.10.11

6. Similarly configure 2nd network interface for storage connectivity.


7. NIC configuration can be verified from XenClient. Connect to XenServer using XenClient Select

Server on “Server View” Click Network Tab. This will display network configuration.

Fugure-2


8. Make note of initiator IQN. Select Server from XenClient application click on General Tab and

note iSCSI IQN. This will be required during iSCSI Target setup.

Fugure-3


Configuring iSCSI AMS2000 Storage

Open Hitachi AMS2000 iSCSI storage using Hitachi Storage Navigator Modular 2.

1. Create iSCSI Target as below. Click on Groups iSCSI Targets click on Create Target. This will

open a Create iSCSI Target window. Enter the following information

(a) Select Ports to configure

(b) iSCSI Target No.: Select default or enter an available number. (c) Alias: Select default or enter a meaningfull name (d) iSCSI Name: Select default value for iSCSI name. (e) Hosts: On the Hosts tab select required host initiator from the detected Hosts or enter

initiator name manually as noted previously. (f) Logical Units: Select Logical Units tab and add LUNs to be assigned to iSCSI initiator. (g) Options: Click on Options tab and set Platform: Linux

Fugure-4


2. Set iSCSI Target security

Click on Groups iSCSI Targets then click on iSCSI Target Security tab Select the Ports and

then click on Change iSCSI Target Security to enable iSCSI Target Security.

Fugure-5

3. Create CHAP user:

Click on Groups iSCSI Targets then click on CHAP Users tab Click on Create CHAP User.

This will open a Popup window.

Figure-6



In Create CHAP User window, enter a name for CHAP user and enter password for the CHAP user.

Select appropriate storage ports.

Figure-7


Assign iSCSI Target to CHAP user. Click on Groups iSCSI Targets then click on CHAP Users

tab Click on Edit CHAP User This will open a Popup window. Select iSCSI target for the

CHAP user.

Figure-8


6. Set an authetication method for the iSCSI Target. Click on Groups iSCSI Targets Select iSCSI

Target tab Select already created iSCSI Target and click on Edit Authentication. Select CHAP as

authentication method.

Figure-9


Adding iSCSI Storage LUNs to Citrix XENServer

1. Open XenServer from XenClient application Then select the Xen Server Click on Storage

tab click on New SR button, this open a wizard for adding new storage repository (SR).

Figure-10

2. Select Software iSCSI from type of new storage. Click on Next.

Figure-11


3. Enter iSCSI storage information in “Enter a name and path for new iSCSI storage” window.

Name: Enter a suitable name for iSCSI storage LUN

Target Host: Enter IP Address and tcp/ip port number of the target host.

Authentication method : If CHAP authentication is used, select Use CHAP, then enter User and

Password information which were created at iSCSI storage.

Target IQN : Click on Discover IQNs button, it will list all the IQNs discovered. Select the

Target IQN which was created at iSCSI stoarge.

Target LUN : Click on Discover LUNs, it will discover all the LUNs assigned in the Target IQN.

Select a LUN to add as an SR (Storage Repository) in Xen Server.

Click on Finish to complete the addition of new LUNs and SR.

Click on “Yes” to confirm format of the Hard Disk. SR will be created and will be listed under

Storage Repositories.

To add more SR to Xen Server from available LUNs follow the above steps 1, 2 and 3.

Figure-12


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Citrix XenServer - IsCSI Configuration Guide