Clustering Using the iSCSI Protocol

Clustering Using the iSCSI Protocol Clustering Using the iSCSI Protocol

You can use the iSCSI protocol with virtual machines and physical machines in a clustered environment to provide highly available network storage and failover.

Clustering with iSCSI is the only way you can use GSX Server to configure clustering across multiple hosts. It is an easier clustering method to configure compared to the other methods discussed earlier, as you do not have to enable SCSI reservation in the virtual machine, which involves manually editing the virtual machine's configuration file. However, performance is limited by the slower speed of virtual networking.

Each virtual machine represents a cluster node. You configure each node of the cluster to act as an iSCSI initiator. The initiator communicates with the iSCSI target. The iSCSI target can be:

A virtual machine on this host or another host.

The GSX Server host itself or a different host on the network.

The iSCSI initiator must run the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator package, available for download from the Microsoft Web site at www.microsoft.com/WindowsServer2003/technologies/storage/iscsi/default.mspx. This software runs in a virtual machine with a Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows XP guest operating system.

The iSCSI target software can run in a virtual machine or on a host with a Windows or Linux operating system. Examples of iSCSI target software include WinTarget (for Windows) and NetApp Filer (for Linux).

Note: You can use any clustering software in these cluster nodes that is supported by other GSX Server clustering strategies. For more information, see Clustering Software.

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