6.7
Table Of Contents
- vSphere Storage
- Contents
- About vSphere Storage
- Introduction to Storage
- Getting Started with a Traditional Storage Model
- Overview of Using ESXi with a SAN
- Using ESXi with Fibre Channel SAN
- Configuring Fibre Channel Storage
- Configuring Fibre Channel over Ethernet
- Booting ESXi from Fibre Channel SAN
- Booting ESXi with Software FCoE
- Best Practices for Fibre Channel Storage
- Using ESXi with iSCSI SAN
- Configuring iSCSI Adapters and Storage
- ESXi iSCSI SAN Recommendations and Restrictions
- Configuring iSCSI Parameters for Adapters
- Set Up Independent Hardware iSCSI Adapters
- Configure Dependent Hardware iSCSI Adapters
- Configure the Software iSCSI Adapter
- Configure iSER Adapters
- Modify General Properties for iSCSI or iSER Adapters
- Setting Up Network for iSCSI and iSER
- Using Jumbo Frames with iSCSI
- Configuring Discovery Addresses for iSCSI Adapters
- Configuring CHAP Parameters for iSCSI Adapters
- Configuring Advanced Parameters for iSCSI
- iSCSI Session Management
- Booting from iSCSI SAN
- Best Practices for iSCSI Storage
- Managing Storage Devices
- Storage Device Characteristics
- Understanding Storage Device Naming
- Storage Rescan Operations
- Identifying Device Connectivity Problems
- Enable or Disable the Locator LED on Storage Devices
- Erase Storage Devices
- Working with Flash Devices
- About VMware vSphere Flash Read Cache
- Working with Datastores
- Types of Datastores
- Understanding VMFS Datastores
- Upgrading VMFS Datastores
- Understanding Network File System Datastores
- Creating Datastores
- Managing Duplicate VMFS Datastores
- Increasing VMFS Datastore Capacity
- Administrative Operations for Datastores
- Set Up Dynamic Disk Mirroring
- Collecting Diagnostic Information for ESXi Hosts on a Storage Device
- Checking Metadata Consistency with VOMA
- Configuring VMFS Pointer Block Cache
- Understanding Multipathing and Failover
- Failovers with Fibre Channel
- Host-Based Failover with iSCSI
- Array-Based Failover with iSCSI
- Path Failover and Virtual Machines
- Pluggable Storage Architecture and Path Management
- Viewing and Managing Paths
- Using Claim Rules
- Scheduling Queues for Virtual Machine I/Os
- Raw Device Mapping
- Storage Policy Based Management
- Virtual Machine Storage Policies
- Workflow for Virtual Machine Storage Policies
- Populating the VM Storage Policies Interface
- About Rules and Rule Sets
- Creating and Managing VM Storage Policies
- About Storage Policy Components
- Storage Policies and Virtual Machines
- Default Storage Policies
- Using Storage Providers
- Working with Virtual Volumes
- About Virtual Volumes
- Virtual Volumes Concepts
- Virtual Volumes and Storage Protocols
- Virtual Volumes Architecture
- Virtual Volumes and VMware Certificate Authority
- Snapshots and Virtual Volumes
- Before You Enable Virtual Volumes
- Configure Virtual Volumes
- Provision Virtual Machines on Virtual Volumes Datastores
- Virtual Volumes and Replication
- Best Practices for Working with vSphere Virtual Volumes
- Troubleshooting Virtual Volumes
- Filtering Virtual Machine I/O
- Storage Hardware Acceleration
- Hardware Acceleration Benefits
- Hardware Acceleration Requirements
- Hardware Acceleration Support Status
- Hardware Acceleration for Block Storage Devices
- Hardware Acceleration on NAS Devices
- Hardware Acceleration Considerations
- Thin Provisioning and Space Reclamation
- Using vmkfstools
- vmkfstools Command Syntax
- The vmkfstools Command Options
- -v Suboption
- File System Options
- Virtual Disk Options
- Supported Disk Formats
- Creating a Virtual Disk
- Initializing a Virtual Disk
- Inflating a Thin Virtual Disk
- Converting a Zeroedthick Virtual Disk to an Eagerzeroedthick Disk
- Removing Zeroed Blocks
- Deleting a Virtual Disk
- Renaming a Virtual Disk
- Cloning or Converting a Virtual Disk or RDM
- Extending a Virtual Disk
- Upgrading Virtual Disks
- Creating a Virtual Compatibility Mode Raw Device Mapping
- Creating a Physical Compatibility Mode Raw Device Mapping
- Listing Attributes of an RDM
- Displaying Virtual Disk Geometry
- Checking and Repairing Virtual Disks
- Checking Disk Chain for Consistency
- Storage Device Options
Selecting CHAP Authentication Method
ESXi supports unidirectional CHAP for all types of iSCSI initiators, and bidirectional CHAP for software
and dependent hardware iSCSI.
Before configuring CHAP, check whether CHAP is enabled at the iSCSI storage system. Also, obtain
information about the CHAP authentication method the system supports. If CHAP is enabled, configure it
for your initiators, making sure that the CHAP authentication credentials match the credentials on the
iSCSI storage.
ESXi supports the following CHAP authentication methods:
Unidirectional CHAP In unidirectional CHAP authentication, the target authenticates the initiator,
but the initiator does not authenticate the target.
Bidirectional CHAP The bidirectional CHAP authentication adds an extra level of security. With
this method, the initiator can also authenticate the target. VMware supports
this method for software and dependent hardware iSCSI adapters only.
For software and dependent hardware iSCSI adapters, you can set unidirectional CHAP and bidirectional
CHAP for each adapter or at the target level. Independent hardware iSCSI supports CHAP only at the
adapter level.
When you set the CHAP parameters, specify a security level for CHAP.
Note When you specify the CHAP security level, how the storage array responds depends on the array’s
CHAP implementation and is vendor-specific. For information on CHAP authentication behavior in
different initiator and target configurations, consult the array documentation.
Table 11‑2. CHAP Security Level
CHAP Security Level Description Supported
None The host does not use CHAP authentication. If
authentication is enabled, use this option to disable it.
Software iSCSI
Dependent hardware iSCSI
Independent hardware iSCSI
Use unidirectional CHAP if
required by target
The host prefers a non-CHAP connection, but can use a
CHAP connection if required by the target.
Software iSCSI
Dependent hardware iSCSI
Use unidirectional CHAP unless
prohibited by target
The host prefers CHAP, but can use non-CHAP connections
if the target does not support CHAP.
Software iSCSI
Dependent hardware iSCSI
Independent hardware iSCSI
Use unidirectional CHAP The host requires successful CHAP authentication. The
connection fails if CHAP negotiation fails.
Software iSCSI
Dependent hardware iSCSI
Independent hardware iSCSI
Use bidirectional CHAP The host and the target support bidirectional CHAP. Software iSCSI
Dependent hardware iSCSI
vSphere Storage
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