6.0

Table Of Contents
Setting Up iSCSI Network
Software and dependent hardware iSCSI adapters depend on VMkernel networking. If you use the software
or dependent hardware iSCSI adapters, you must configure connections for the traffic between the iSCSI
component and the physical network adapters.
Configuring the network connection involves creating a virtual VMkernel adapter for each physical network
adapter. You then associate the VMkernel adapter with an appropriate iSCSI adapter. This process is called
port binding.
For specific considerations on when and how to use network connections with software iSCSI, see the
VMware knowledge base article at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2038869.
Multiple Network Adapters in iSCSI Configuration
If your host has more than one physical network adapter for software and dependent hardware iSCSI, use
the adapters for multipathing.
You can connect the software iSCSI adapter with any physical NICs available on your host. The dependent
iSCSI adapters must be connected only to their own physical NICs.
NOTE Physical NICs must be on the same subnet as the iSCSI storage system they connect to.
Figure 241. Networking with iSCSI
physical NICs
vmnic1 vmnic2 vmnic1 vmnic2
physical NICs
with iSCSI
offload
capabilities
Host1
Host1
Host2
Host2
virtual
adapters
software iSCSI adapter dependent hardware iSCSI adapters
vSwitch
vmk1 vmk2 vmk1
vmhba33vmhba# vmhba34
vmk2
vSwitch
virtual
physical
Two physical NICs connected to
the software iSCSI adapter
Two physical NICs with iSCSI
offload capabilities
IP network
iSCSI storage iSCSI storage
The iSCSI adapter and physical NIC connect through a virtual VMkernel adapter, also called virtual
network adapter or VMkernel port. You create a VMkernel adapter (vmk) on a vSphere switch (vSwitch)
using 1:1 mapping between each virtual and physical network adapter.
vSphere Administration with the vSphere Client
310 VMware, Inc.