White Papers

6 Configuring iSCSI Connectivity with VMware vSphere 6 and Dell PS Series Storage | TR1075
2 Features of the vSphere software iSCSI initiator
VMware vSphere has support for various advances with iSCSI SAN connectivity. This paper covers the
features in the iSCSI software initiator as well as how to configure it to connect to the SAN.
Jumbo Frames: With ESXi, Jumbo Frames can be enabled on the iSCSI software initiator. Jumbo Frames
support allows for larger packets of data to be transferred between the ESXi hosts and the SAN for
increased efficiency and performance.
Note: Jumbo Frames are not required and are optional. Your network infrastructure must be able to fully
support them to achieve any benefit.
MPIO: With ESXi, customers can benefit from MultiPath I/O from the ESXi hosts to the SAN. This allows for
multiple connections to be concurrently used to allow for greater bandwidth. It also enables ESXi to take
full advantage of the scale-out networking in the PS Series SAN.
Third-party MPIO support: VMware has provided an architecture that enables storage vendors to provide
new and advanced intelligent integration. Dell has a MPIO plugin that will enhance MPIO with the existing
iSCSI software initiator for easier management, better performance, and increased bandwidth.