How to Setup iSCSI for NAS in Windows 2008 Storage Server?

SAN is an expensive product, not everyone can afford it. On the other hand, NAS is affordable and can be configured as the SAN when you have the windows storage server installed. This document will show you how to configure the NAS and the iSCSI target and initiator. Pre requisites 1- Windows Storage Server 2- 2 NICs in each server that will be involve in this setting 3- Separate switch not less than 1Gb Procedures and steps STEP 1: Setup the SAN and the Applications Server's NIC 1- Study the above diagram 2- Separate Gigabits switch and connect one of the NIC in each server that part of iSCSI setup to it. 3- Configure the NIC with an IP address different from the main network IP as in the above diagram. You don't need to configure GW or DNS STEP 2: Setup the iSCSI Target in the NAS server 1- Under the Administrative Tools or Server Manager select the iSCSI Target Software and a wizard will start, Setup the name and description 2- Setup the IQN (this is what is the iSCSI initiator use to connect) In the IQN delete whatever there, if there is any and add something similar to the below may be XYZ-NAS1 3- Follow the wizard to the end without changing anything STEP 3: Create the VDH 1- Create a folder in the NAS biggest drive called Virtual Disks 2- Right click on the target you created in the previous step and select Create a virtual disk. Wizard will start type the location of the VHD i.e. E:Virtual DisksVHD1.vhd 3- Set the size to the agreed one and give it a description to explain what is going to use for and where it is attached. STEP 4: Install and Configure iSCSI Initiator 1- If you are running windows server 2003, download the initiator from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=12cb3c1a-15d6-4585-b385-befd1319f825&displaylang=en 2- If you have windows 2008 or above it should already installed for you 3- Install the iSCSI initiator and select the top two only. 4- When you start the initiator it may ask you enable the service to start automatically and open ports in the FW 5- Under the General tab click on the Change button and type the IQN you typed in the previous step 6- Select the Discovery tab click on the Add button and enter the IP address of the NAS server click OK 7- Click on the Targets tab and you should see like below. If you didn't hit the refresh button. Then select the name and click on the Log On button and select Automatically restore this connection when the system boots 8- Click on the Bound Volumes/Devices tab and select the volume you want to add to the server as an extra storage and click on BindAll. Then click on Apply and OK STEP 5: Use the Extra Disk you just add it 1- Open the Server manager or just Manager and click on Storage and then Disk Manager. 2- A wizard will pop up and ask you to initiate the disk choose only the disk(s) you just add and after that you know what to do this new DISK.

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