Scale as iSCSI Target Server for Vsphere Cluster?

[janos66]

Hi,

is TrueNas Scale ready to work as iSCSI Target for VMware 7.03 and can I use iSCSI offload with Emulex OCe14102-UM nics?
The performance requirements are not really high, the most important thing is that iSCSI failover works, which means I want to use iSCSI Multipathing via Port Binding for Availability and fail over I/O to alternate paths based on SCSI sense codes.

Is the difference big between iSCSI offload and software with vSphere, and if so, what hardware would you recommend?

Regards

 

[blanchet]

Except if you are running a home lab and want to learn new things,
I think that implementing iSCSI multipathing does not really worth if you do not have also a high-availability storage server with a dual controller (like iXsystems sells), because the probability to have a downtime on the storage server is much higher than having an issue on the Ethernet switches or on the network cables.

For production work, keep your system as simpler as possible

• run TrueNAS Core
• use NFSv3 datastore
• use a well supported NICs: Intel or Chelsio

 

[janos66]

yes it's for training.
I worked a couple of years with FC based SAN systems and have always ignored iSCSI, but now I have to look at it.
I'm going to dig my way through, thanks for your feedback

 

[morganL]

For iSCSI vSphere production, use CORE/Enterprise 12.0 or 13.0
For testing and training, then you can try SCALE iSCSI. Feedback is welcome. Its a new iSCSI stack and so needs validation.

 

[NugentS]

I am using the iSCSI in Scale for my VMWare setup at home.
I don't eactly stress it and it is (in my non-scientific opinion) slower, but not too slow - ie its still very useable