iSCSI target/client for Linux in 5 whole minutes

iSCSI target/client for Linux in 5 whole minutes

I was playing a bit with iSCSI initiator (client) and decided to see how complicated it is to setup a shared storage (for my purposes) through iSCSI. This proves to be quite easy…

On the server:

1. Download iSCSI Enterprise Target from here, or you can install scsi-target-utils from Centos5 repository

2. Compile (if required) and install on your server. Notice – you will need kernel-devel packages

3. Create a test Logical Volume:

lvcreate -L 1G -n iscsi1 /dev/VolGroup00

4. Edit your /etc/ietd.conf file to look something like this:

Target iqn.2001-04.il.org.tournament:diskserv.disk1

Lun 0 Path=/dev/VolGroup00/iscsi1,Type=fileio

InitialR2T Yes

ImmediateData No

MaxRecvDataSegmentLength 8192

MaxXmitDataSegmentLength 8192

MaxBurstLength 262144

FirstBurstLength 65536

DefaultTime2Wait 2

DefaultTime2Retain 20

MaxOutstandingR2T 8

DataPDUInOrder Yes

DataSequenceInOrder Yes

ErrorRecoveryLevel 0

HeaderDigest CRC32C,None

DataDigest CRC32C,None

# various target parameters

Wthreads 8

5. Start iscsi-target service:

/etc/init.d/iscsi-target start

On the client:

1. Install open-iscsi package. It will be called iscsi-initiator-utils for RHEL5 and Centos5

2. Run detection command:

iscsiadm -m discovery -t sendtargets -p <server IP address>

3. You should get a nice reply. Something like this. <IP> refers to the server’s IP

<IP>:3260,1 iqn.2001-04.il.org.tournament:diskserv.disk1

4. Login to the devices using the following command:

iscsiadm -m node -T iqn.2001-04.il.org.tournament:diskserv.disk1 -p <IP>:3260,1 -l

5. Run fdisk to view your new disk

fdisk -l

6. To disconnect the iSCSI device, run the following command:

iscsiadm -m node -T iqn.2001-04.il.org.tournament:diskserv.disk1 -p <IP>:3260,1 -u

This will not allow you to set the iSCSI initiator during boot time. You will have to google your own distro and its bolts and nuts, but this will allow you a proof of concept of a working iSCSI

Good luck!