Connect external storage to HX is (iSCSI)

[mphirke5]

Hi Team,

We are using HX cluster managed by UCS, We are planning to add Datastore to vCenter using iCSCI. 

What steps we need to perform from UCS level, Like creation of vLAN , Creation of Service Profile and vNIC.

[Steven Tardy]

All steps should be in the HX docs:

Attaching iSCSI Storage to HX 

[mphirke5]

Thank you so much article , I Have gone throught said article I have few queries based on that.

1. What VLAN i need to create ? The one that Natapp Iscsi CVM is using or default 4201. 

2. Do we need to configure that vLAN on upsteam switch as well ? We are using ACI.

3. What ports need to be open from firewall team. (Source will be my ESXI IP and Destination will be CVM IP of Iscsi) 

4. Does it required reboot of hosts ?

Thank you so much for your attnetion.

[Steven Tardy]

VLANs are a 12 bit value, so VLAN IDs only go up to 4096. . . The 4201 in the doc is a placeholder. Create the VLAN your current NetApp iSCSI is using.

Yes. Upstream connectivity would be required, so updating ACI to allow ESXi to talk to the NetApp CVMs is needed.

iSCSI uses TCP/3260 (from memory) and TCP/3260+TCP/860 from documentation. These should be within the same VLAN so (typically) wouldn't go through any firewall, but maybe that does need to be done (can't confirm without knowing your design in detail).

Adding Software iSCSI should not require a reboot. Those docs detail adding dedicated vNICs for iSCSI (not required but nice to have) which would require a reboot.