How to connect to iSCSI storage?

[BirtyB]

Hi all, having come from HP Data Protector we are complete NBU Virgins so have a couple of question.  Hopefully someone can advise! :)

We will be using a seperate Master & Media server (both Virtual Windows Server 2012) and the Media server will be the backup host.  99% of our backups will be of VMWare VM's.

We have purchased 2 x 30TB 10GbE iSCSI disk arrays (Nexsan E18V & QNAP TS-EC1279U-RP) and was wondering about the best way to connect this storage to the media server.  Would it be OK to create a huge volume on each box and connect it using Microsoft iSCSI Initiator within the guest or is it better to add it as a volume within ESX so the guest thinks it is just another local volume?

Thanks in advance,

Graham

[Yogesh9881]

Hi,

If your new storage box supports ONLY iSCSI protocol then you  dont have any other option.

But how you are backing your virtual infrastructure ?? what is policy type ?

what is next if you connect new storage box with media servers ???

[BirtyB]

Hi, yes only iSCSI but we are able to connect using 2 methods; 1 within guest using MS iSCSI Initiator or add to ESX datastore and present as local volume to guest.

[Yasuhisa_Ishika · Accepted solution]

I choose former(thru MS iSCSI) if I were as later may bring us potential issues related with VMDK and VM snapshots.