Managing iSCSI through the Integrated Admin Web Portal
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Enabling and disabling the integrated iSCSI Target Service
iSCSI Target Interface Management
Enabling and disabling the integrated iSCSI Target Service
The integrated Nexfs iSCSI Server (Target) can be enabled and disabled from the Services -> Service Management tab under the "Nexfs Configuration" section of the Admin Console.
As the iSCSI server is integrated directly into Nexfs there are no addition software or packages that need to be installed
Note: It may take a few minutes for the iSCSI Target server to stop or start, you can verify the status at from the "System Status" section of the Admin Console.
iSCSI Configuration using the Integrated Webconsole
iSCSI Target Interfaces
Nexfs server iSCSI clients connect to iSCSI Target interfaces, interface IP addresses must already be configured in the OS that Nexfs is running on, Nexfs will then attach itself on the specified port to corresponding interfaces, creating iSCS Target interfaces.
Configuration of interfaces is optional, when no interfaces are configured, Nexfs will attach itself to all available active operating system managed interfaces.
Nexfs supports both ipv4 and ipv6 iSCSI interfaces.
Interface Management
iSCSI interfaces are configured in the Interfaces tab of the iSCSI section in the Admin Portal
To CREATE an interface:
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click on the "Add" button, a new interface row will be created
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enter the required interface IP Address into the new row
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change the iSCSI Port if needed (The default Port 3260 is the standard iSCSI port)
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Repeat steps 1 to 3 for any addition interfaces to be created
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Click the Save button
If you click the "Add" button by mistake, tick the "Delete" checkbox next to that interface row and click "Save"
Nexfs does not verify the interface ip addresses during the configuration stage, this allows the same iSCSI configuration to be installed on more than one Nexfs server when running in clustered mode.
To MODIFY an account:
Once created interface details cannot be modified, instead create a new interface and delete the old one. Note: you will need to then re-assign the new interface to your targets.
To DELETE an interface:
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Click the "DELETE" checkbox next to the interface rows to be deleted, rows to be deleted will be highlighted in red
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Click the Save Button
iSCSI Target Accounts
iSCSI Target Accounts are optional, when created accounts may be attached to iSCSI Targets, requiring clients to authenticate with one of the assigned accounts. The Nexfs target can also be configured to authenticate back to the client using a selected iSCSI account.
iSCSI Account Management
iSCSI Accounts are configured in the Accounts tab of the iSCSI section in the Admin Portal
To CREATE an account:
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click on the "Add" button, a new account row will be created
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enter the required account username into the new row
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enter the required account password
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Repeat steps 1 to 3 for any addition accounts to be created
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Click the Save button
If you click the "Add" button by mistake, tick the "Delete" checkbox next to that account row and click "Save"
To MODIFY an account:
It is only possible to change the password of an existing account, if you need to change the username, first delete the old account and then create a new account. Note: After creation the new account will need to be assigned to Targets.
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Change the password field of any accounts to be modified
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Click on the Save button
To DELETE an account:
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Click the "DELETE" checkbox next to the account rows to be deleted, the rows to be deleted will be highlighted in red
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Click the Save Button
iSCSI Targets
iSCSI Targets and LUNs are configured in the Targets tab of the iSCSI section in the Admin Portal.
iSCSI Targets must have a least one LUN, if a Target is saved with no LUNs (or all LUNs deleted) then the Target is automatically removed from Nexfs.
iSCSI Target Configuration Fields
Target ID
The next available Target ID is automatically assigned by Nexfs when a Target is created
Header Digest
Increases data integrity. When enabled, the system performs a checksum of each header part of the iSCSI Protocol Data Unit (PDU). The system verifies the data using the CRC32C algorithm
Data Digest
Increases data integrity. When enabled, the system performs a checksum of each PDU data part. The system verifies the data using the CRC32C algorithm.
Interfaces
The iSCSI target will be available on the selected iSCSI interfaces, multiple interfaces can be selected, and at least one interface must be selected before clients can access the Target and its LUNS.
If no interfaces have been created, then ALL will be automatically available, select ALL for the Target to be available on the default port 3260 on all system interfaces. Note: ALL is no longer available if any iSCSI interfaces has been created, you must select all required interfaces from the list.
You can click on the refresh icon to the right of the interfaces list to update available interfaces.
Inbound Accounts
(Optional) If any accounts are selected, then iSCSI clients (initiators) must authenticate requests to Nexfs using a matching username and password combination from the selected list. Multiple
inbounds accounts can be selected.
If no accounts are selected, then clients can connect without authentication
You can click on the refresh icon to the right of the Outbound account list to update available accounts.
Outbound Account
(Optional) If any account is selected from the pulldown list, then Nexfs (the iSCSI Target) must authenticate requesting clients using the matching username and password combination. Only a single outbound account can be selected for each Target.
If no account is selected then Nexfs will not use authentication when responding back to requesting clients (initiators)
You can click on the refresh icon to the right of the Outbound account list to update available accounts.
To CREATE a Target:
1. Click on the "Add Target" button at the bottom of the Target list, a new Target section will be create
2. Select Header Digest if required
3. Select Data Digest if required
4. Select at least one interface from the list, or ALL when available
5. Optionally select one or more Inbound Accounts
6. Optionally select one Outbound Accounts
7. You must create at least one LUN before saving the Target, follow the create LUN section below to complete the Target creation.
To MODIFY a Target:
Make any changes required such as Header or Data Digest, interfaces, accounts etc, then click on the "Save" button at the bottom the of list of Targets.
To DELETE a Target:
The Delete a Target remove all LUNS from the Target, when all LUNs have been deleted the Target will automatically be removed.
iSCSI LUNs
iSCSI LUNs are configured against Targets in the Targets tab of the iSCSI section of the Admin Portal.
iSCSI Targets must have a least one LUN, if all LUNs are deleted then the Target is automatically removed from Nexfs.
iSCSI LUN Configuration Fields
LUN ID
The next available LUN ID for the Target is automatically assigned by Nexfs when a LUN is created
Path
The Path to a File within the Nexfs File structure that contains the storage for the LUN
SN
The virtual Serial Number for the LUN
Mode
A LUN can be Online or Offline, only a Offline LUN can be deleted
To CREATE a LUN:
1. Click on the "Add Lun" button at the bottom of the Target the LUN is to be created for, a new blank LUN will be created
2 a. Manually Enter the Path to use for the LUN storage, or
b. Click on the folder icon to the left of the Path field then select (or create) a new file to be used for the LUNs storage.
3. a. Manually enter the required LUN Serial Number, or
b. Leave it at the default for a SN to be automatically generated
4. Set the Mode to Online or Offline (or Delete if the Lun ) entry was created by mistake
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to create any additional LUNs required
6. Click on the "Save" button at the bottom the of list of Targets
If a LUN is created by mistake, enter any value in the Path field and set the Mode to Delete, or click reload to reload all Target and LUN information from Nexfs (note Reload will lose any unsaved changes)
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To MODIFY a LUN:
Make any changes required, then click on the "Save" button at the bottom the of list of Targets.
To DELETE a Target:
If the LUN is ONLINE:
A LUN must be offline before it can be deleted, if the delete option is not its available in the Mode list, first set the mode to Offline, and click on the "Save" button at the bottom the of list of Targets.
If the LUN is OFFLINE:
Set the mode to Delete, and click on the "Save" button at the bottom the of list of Targets.
Note: When all LUNs are removed from a Target that Target will also be automatically removed from Nexfs