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+--- Thread: ESXi 4.1u1 iSCSI install (/showthread.php?tid=412)
ESXi 4.1u1 iSCSI install - Crusnik01 - 2011-06-11 18:17
Hi!
I'm trying to install ESXi 4.1 Update 1 to a iSCSI LUN, which I will then boot my diskless server from.
I have managed to get the ESXi installation/setup to a iSCSI LUN, so that I might do a 'sanboot ...' after a 'sanhook'.
But when I sanboot my ESXi installation, it can't see any disks. If I look at my QNAP console (iSCSI target), the target I just hood has been released (not initiatet), even though it was previously.
How can I get the iSCSI connection to persist over to my sanboot?
Here are the commands I run:
Code:
vcreate --tag 100 net0
ifopen net0-100
dhcp net0-100
sanhook --drive 0x81 ${root-path} // Root-Path = iscsi:10.1.4.10:::0:iqn.2004-04.com.qnap:ts-859:iscsi.esx02.c0b5b2
sanboot --no-describe iscsi:10.1.4.10:::0:iqn.2004-04.com.qnap:ts-859:iscsi.esxi41u1.c0b5b2And everything works fine, I get into the ESXi installation, but it tells me there are no supported devices to write the image to. And as I have mentioned, when I look in the QNAP control panel, I see that the iSCSI target has become unmounted.
Hope someone can help! =)
[EDIT]
Okey, it seems that my initial thought of the connection cutting when I do the sanboot isn't quite right.
It seems to be more "timeout" based, or something. If I do a 'sanhook', and just let the connection sit for a minute or two, it disconnects.
iPXE still thinks the drive is there, but it's not connected (checking the QNAP admin console). If I do a unhook, and the hook it up again, same thing.
I see that the iSCSI connection actually persists a good while into the ESXi setup initialization, but cuts at random times (I've done the test a few times).
Is this a value I can set in sanhook? Why does it timeout like that?
Log entries from the iSCSI target below:
Code:
2011-06-11 20:33:07 iqn.2010-04.org.ipxe:esx02 10.1.2.2 --- iSCSI iqn.2004-04.com.qnap:ts-859:iscsi.esx02.c0b5b2 Logout
2011-06-11 20:31:52 iqn.2010-04.org.ipxe:esx02 10.1.2.2 --- iSCSI iqn.2004-04.com.qnap:ts-859:iscsi.esx02.c0b5b2 Login OK
2011-06-11 20:29:41 iqn.2010-04.org.ipxe:esx02 10.1.2.2 --- iSCSI iqn.2004-04.com.qnap:ts-859:iscsi.esx02.c0b5b2 Logout
2011-06-11 20:28:26 iqn.2010-04.org.ipxe:esx02 10.1.2.2 --- iSCSI iqn.2004-04.com.qnap:ts-859:iscsi.esx02.c0b5b2 Login OKThis is clearly something programatic. Here is a New-TimeSpan result (PowerShell):
Code:
PS C:\> New-TimeSpan 20:31:52 20:33:07
Days : 0
Hours : 0
Minutes : 1
Seconds : 15
Milliseconds : 0
Ticks : 750000000
TotalDays : 0,000868055555555556
TotalHours : 0,0208333333333333
TotalMinutes : 1,25
TotalSeconds : 75
TotalMilliseconds : 75000
PS C:\> New-TimeSpan 20:28:26 20:29:41
Days : 0
Hours : 0
Minutes : 1
Seconds : 15
Milliseconds : 0
Ticks : 750000000
TotalDays : 0,000868055555555556
TotalHours : 0,0208333333333333
TotalMinutes : 1,25
TotalSeconds : 75
TotalMilliseconds : 75000Both entries are exactly 75 ticks. The question now, is the issue iPXE based or is it the target (QNAP)?
I run several other iSCSI connections (another ESXi server, and windows hosts), no issues there.
RE: ESXi 4.1u1 iSCSI install - MultimediaMan - 2012-01-01 02:40
Check out ESXi v4.1 Update 2 or newer... you will be pleasantly surprised.
Code:
#!ipxe
goto startme
:retry
sleep 5
:startme
set keep-san 1
set initiator-iqn iqn.2011-04.local.us.ar.bv.olympus:v-ipxe-a.olympus.bv.ar.us.local
sanboot --drive 0x80 iscsi:atlas.olympus.bv.ar.us.local::::iqn.1991-05.com.microsoft:atlas-v-ipxe-a-target ||
sanboot --drive 0x81 --no-describe http://epimetheus.olympus.bv.ar.us.local/vmware/4.1/x86_64/iso/ESXi_4_1_U2.iso || goto retry