iSCSI Targets and VMware

[gkotn]

Hello.

I have DS-509+ box attached via iSCSI to 2 VMware ESX 3.5 U4 servers.

The problem is that all defined iSCSI targets on DS509+ box have same LUN ID when presented to VMware hosts and I didn't find any option to change LUN ID. Result is that VMware sees only the first iSCSI target (LUN ID 0) - all the others iSCSI targets are seen as the first one but through different SCSI controllers (SCSI Target 0, SCSI Target 1, ...) - they have different iSCSI names as defined on DS509+ box (iqn.2010-01 ...) but the same size as the first one.

Is there any workaround except that I create one big iSCSI target?

I have effective capacity of 3.5 TB in this NAS box and VMware limitation is 2TB (LUN size, Datastore Size) in ESX version 3.5. I don't wan't to upgrade to vSphere 4 just to be able to see all the capacity.

Are there any changes planned in new release of firmware and if they are, when will it be available ?


Thanks,
Gordan

[chasler]

Hi,

I have the same issue. For information on vSphere 4 you have the same limitations :
- Only 2TB per iSCSI target
- All synology iSCSI Target have lun 0, son you can only connect the first target!

I hope this issue will be solved by a new firmware (soon...?)

[gkotn]

Tnx for the info.

Hopefully someone from Synology would read this post and do something.

[vm.franklin]

@all

I'm consulting with our engineers about this, I'll post an update when it is available.

Hope this helps

[halastrion]

I love this forum... I just installed VMWare 4.0 last week and was trying to figure out how to do this and here is a thread already... Pretty helpful. Hopefully they'll find a fix for the single volume soon...

I'm going to read through the Wiki some more.

John...

[vm.franklin]

Just as an update for everyone

1. We did change the LUN ID on the iSCSI Targets on the DiskStation - this does not prevent Vmware ESXi 4 from connecting to all the Targets hosted on the DiskStation
1a. User-changeable LUN IDs for iSCSI Targets is on the list for our developers to add in future coming DiskStation Manager firmware
2. Deploying a Fedora 10 with 2 different iSCSI Targets with different LUN IDs did not prevent Vmware from connecting to all of the Targets.

We are still looking into this - please note that a resolution may not come as quickly - as we have seen VMware grab two targets on a regular Fedora computer.

Hope this helps.

[tris]

Any update on this issue?
Any way that we can change LUN ID's in a configuration file (through ssh)?

Regards
Tris

[vm.franklin]

Greetings tris

As stated previously, changing the LUN ID does not resolve the error of ESXi grabbing all of the iSCSI Targets on a Synology DiskStation or even a regular Linux Computer. We are looking at alternative solutions - however I do not believe that these solutions will be available in the short term.

Sorry if this wasn't the answer you were looking for.

[Devious Dog]

I think it is rather stupid that you are allowed to create more than one LUN when the Synology product cannot support it. I am NOT impressed, I have been using Synology boxes for the past 6+ years and currently have a DS409+, renewing my NAS solution every 2+ years. I do thank Synology for the iSCSI LUNs as I run my home ESXi cluster from it, however I did want a logical grouping.. Hence I want a second LUN. May have to swap to a QNAP.

[HarryPotter]

Have a look at the DSM 3.0 Beta FW 1285. The iSCSI functionality has been expanded.

http://www.synology.com/enu/DSM3.0/iSCSI_Support.php

[tshioda]

Hi,

I'm just new on this forum and just read this message. I encounter the same issue, although we are more than 2 years further. When is it expected there will be a fix on this? Or are there any work arounds to create multiple LUNs with different LUN IDs?
Thanks