This section documents creating multipath connections to iSCSI LUNs on a Dell PowerVault MD3000i using the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator plus Dell’s MD3000i iSCSI software. The server connecting to the MD3000i iSCSI LUN was server r3win2950b running 64-bit Windows Server 2003 R2. As shown below each MD3000i controller had two iSCSI ports, with one each in the 10.10.20 and 10.10.22 subnets. The r3win2950b connected to both
network subnets.



The MD3000i uses its own Device Specific Module code and thus required special installation of the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator. Therefore, on the server being connected to MD3000i (r3win2950b in this case), the existing Microsoft iSCSI Initiator instance was uninstalled and the server was rebooted. Then the Microsoft initiator was installed from Initiator-2.04-build3273-amd64fre.exe. All installation options except Microsoft MPIO Multipathing Support for iSCSI were selected:



To install the Dell MD3000i iSCSI software, it was necessary to insert the PowerVault MD3000i Resource CD. Upon starting, the software showed a message that it was necessary to upgrade the StorPort driver. The hot fix was unzipped to the local hard drive by clicking on the error message and then run.



After rebooting the Resource CD was inserted again, “Install MD3000i Storage Software” was selected and the iSCSI timeout value was adjusted by selecting “OK” at the next prompt:



Following this the PowerVault Modular Disk Storage Manger (MDSM) installation screen appeared:



After selecting the language the Select Installation Type screen came up:



“Host” was selected since the MD3000i was already being managed from another server.

Upon completion of the installation the Microsoft iSCSI Initiator was started:



In the Discovery tab, the four IP addresses of the MD3000i were entered:



No LUNs were discovered since the host had not been given access to the MD3000i. The Targets tab at this point looked like:



The MDSM Configure Host Access (Manual) function was used to give the host access to the MD3000i. First, the host name and operating system type were entered:



Then the host’s iSCSI initiator was added to the list of Selected iSCSI Initiators:



On the next screen it was specified that this host will not share virtual disks with other hosts:




Upon creation a Virtual Disk was created on the MD3000i and mapped to the host. The final Host Topology is:



Back on the Microsoft initiator on the host, the MD3000i Target was selected and Log On selected:



On the Advanced Settings screen, a Source IP and Target Portal in the same subnet were selected using the dropdown menus:



The logon was repeated with the other three combinations of Source and Target IPs (10.10.22.104 - 10.10.22.28, 10.10.20.104 - 10.10.20.29, 10.10.22.104 -10.10.22.29). The four sessions were seen in the MD3000i target’s details:



The four connections to the LUN (Dell MD3000 SCSI Disk Device) were visible in the Devices tab of any of the sessions:


The load balance policy may be set by selecting Advanced. Round Robin with Subset is the default. Note that the two paths corresponding to the MD3000i controller that currently owns the LUN are Active; the other two are in Standby mode: