Dell PowerVault NX1950 Deployment Manual

Also see for PowerVault NX1950: Deployment guide Important information Getting started Installation guide Installation and troubleshooting guide

Contents

Introduction 9Active/Passive Vs. Active/Active iSCSIIn a PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution that is configured with a 3.0 iSCSITarget, only one node that owns the Cluster Resources can create and ownthe iSCSI Targets. The iSCSI Target service is operative in only one node at atime (Active/Passive configuration).In a PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution that is configured with 3.1 iSCSITarget, you can create iSCSI highly-available (HA) instances on all nodes of acluster and thereby facilitate Active/Active iSCSI Target access. Al nodes ofthe cluster can use the iSCSI Target service at the same time.NOTE: The 3.0 iSCSI Target software enables you to configure an Active/Passivecluster solution. The 3.1 iSCSI Target software enables you to configure anActive/Active cluster configuration. You can download the 3.1 iSCSI Target softwarefrom the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.Before Setting Up the PowerVault NX1950Storage Solution as an iSCSI Software TargetBefore you set up your PowerVault NX1950 storage solution as an iSCSITarget, read this section completely. You must consider features like Ethernetsettings, security settings for iSCSI Targets, and specific settings for iSCSITargets in a PowerVault NX1950 cluster solution.Best Practices for Setting Up the iSCSI Storage Area NetworkTable 1-1 and Table 1-2 provide information about configuring NICs (onTarget) in different models of iSCSI networks.• You can configure redundant paths on Initiator (hosts). MicrosoftMultipath I/O (MPIO) is supported with Initiator version of 2.06 or later.• You require two dedicated iSCSI NICs on the target and initiator forefficient MPIO connection in the PowerVault NX1950 storage solution orPowerVault NX1950 cluster solution.• It is good practice to have at least four NICs in a cluster configuration andat least three NICs in a stand-alone configuration (two NICs dedicated foriSCSI in different subnets).• iSCSI NIC teaming is not supported.